


Frozen Heart

by Petra4President



Series: Corpsekkuno <3 [3]
Category: youtube - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Enemies to Lovers, Healer! Sykkuno, Kings and Queens, M/M, Mage! Corpse, Magic, NSFW in Chapter 4, Story Driven, War, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:40:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 26,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27800161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Petra4President/pseuds/Petra4President
Summary: For years, the seven kingdoms were plagued with war brought on by the Dark One. He raised an army of the dead, wrecking havoc on those who got in his way. It was all Sykkuno could remember really. But when he was 15, news came of young boy who could break the bonds of the undead. A boy who the seven Kings deemed as untrustworthy.An unlikely alliance is born and Sykkuno learns that maybe things aren't always as they seem.
Relationships: Corpse Husband & Sykkuno (Video Blogging RPF), Corpse Husband/Sykkuno (Video Blogging RPF)
Series: Corpsekkuno <3 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2015482
Comments: 87
Kudos: 482
Collections: Server Simps





	1. Of War and Conquest

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! I usually don't write two stories at once but this idea came to me and I've just got to write it. If you haven't already check out my other two stories, please do! This one is vastly different than both of them though and will be more focused on the story and character dynamic. I'll add some notes at the end explaining certain points in this first chapter. Also, this is loosely based off of the Lich King in the game World of Warcraft (yes, I'm a nerd). 
> 
> Please, leave a comment if you enjoyed it! Your kinds words are what motivates me to continue writing <3

_ 50 years ago, the seven nations were ushered into an era of peace. For as long as anyone could remember, they were constantly at war with each other, their views and ideals too different to fully accept the others. It had been King Ulf of Bremen who first proposed the treaty. And after months of deliberation, they all came to an agreement. King Marziano of Sardinia, King William of Leinster, King Paul of Northumbria, King Charles of Dominion, King Crisanto of Lawan, King Heinrich of Bavaria, and King Ulf of Bremen were the leaders of the new world, the men their subjects looked up to for protection. But it was not something they could serve.  _

_ One fateful day, an armored man hailing from the lands to the North appeared before King Ulf. It was clear this man could not be trusted, nor was he really a man. He was adorned in black armor head to toe, his eyes a glowing blue that wasn’t human, and clutched in his hand was a sword of black metal with blue engravings along the blade. An eerie blue mist covered his sword and it was clear this man would be no normal foe. His guards stood by his throne, King Ulf himself unsheathing his own weapon.  _

_ The man only introduced himself as the Dark One, his voice had a sort of distortion to it, though he could recognize an accent to it from one of the seven kingdoms.  _ **_‘Bow down to your new master.’_ ** _ were the first words he spoke, lifting the blade to point it directly at the king himself.  _

**_‘I will never kneel to you, devil!’_ ** _ King Ulf declared, letting out an order to charge before his knights rushed the being before them. The Dark One didn’t flinch nor did he turn back, only lowering his arm so his sword hung by his side. In his free hand, icy blue magic swirled in his palm as they approached.  _

**_‘Then you will perish.’_ ** _ he slammed his hand to the ground, the floor of the palace beneath their feet splitting as spikes of ice emerged. King Ulf could only watch as his knights were taken out one by one, their bodies hanging limply about a foot off the floor. The armored man approached him, but the King couldn’t back down now. His kingdom needed him. But as he rose his weapon to strike, the Dark One took the chance to counter his attack, swinging his blade up to slice at his arm. The limb fell to the ground, King Ulf dropping to his knees.  _

**_‘You will learn the true meaning of fear.’_ ** _ The bodies of his fallen soldiers became enshrouded in green mist, pulling them off of the spikes that impaled them. The Dark One arms were covered with the same magic, imbuing themselves in the essence of what was left of the knights. King Ulf stared in horror as they all came back to life, rotted corpses that were barely holding together. They equipped the multitude of weapons that were dropped from the fight. Bending down, the grabbed the King by his neck and lifted him off the ground, his glowing blue eyes narrowing.  _

**_‘How does it feel to know your failure cost the lives of your people?’_ ** _ He chuckled darkly, throwing his body into one of the many pillars holding up the castle. With a flick of the Dark One’s wrist, the living cadavers roared, swarming the streets of his kingdom to create more soldiers for his undead army. The screams of his subjects soon filled the sky, King Ulf unable to come to aid of the people he promised to protect.  _ **_‘Bremen’s light will be drowned out by darkness.’_ **

_ And he succeeded.  _

Sykkuno has heard this story a million times before. He was 9 when this all happened, and while he wasn’t a resident of Bremen, the word of the Dark One spread quickly. Over half of King Ulf’s army was wiped out, only to be revived as monsters to serve in an army of the damned. It was still unsure how many innocents were massacred but the brunette had no doubt it was a lot. But despite attacking the Kingdom of Bremen first, the Dark One left it still standing. For an unknown reason, King Ulf’s life was spared and they refrained from burning down the entire kingdom. 

The Kingdom of Lawan, the next victim of this dark magic, was not so lucky. The royal family, King Crisanto and Queen Marian along with the two princes were murder, as well as their entire army. The villages and castle were burned to the ground and only a seldom few managed to escape with their lives. Sykkuno and his mom were included in this group, fleeing to the still recovering kingdom of Bremen. The Dark One’s attack left a permanent scar on Bremen, but with the help of the other kingdoms, they were recovering swiftly. 

They welcomed the refugees with open arms, giving them shelter that wasn’t destroyed in the battle. His mother became a servant for the nobles living within the castle, and she would often have to take Sykkuno to work with her. He didn’t mind, there were many things he could do to entertain himself in such a big palace. But, he also met his best friend doing with his mom to work. He was a year older than him and was training to become a knight for the Bremen army. His name was Toast and the two of them bonded fast. 

Because Sykkuno wasn’t much of a fighter, he spent a year trying to figure out what he wanted. He wanted to help the cause, fight the Dark One, but he knew he wouldn’t make it as a knight. He found his answer in the palace’s garden, watching one of the many medics helping an injured dog. He had been so entranced he hadn’t even noticed her approaching him. But at his request, she took him under his wing. Now, his days were spent studying herbal remedies and emergency procedures for wounds inflicted on the battlefield. 

A month later, Bavaria was attacked and destroyed. Bremen took in any refugees that fled to their kingdom and many of them ended up joining their army. Sykkuno knew it was fueled by the need to avenge what happened to their friends and family. And after Bavaria came Northumbria. However, something peculiar happened in that battle. Sykkuno was 15 at the time, sitting in the courtyard reading one of the books his mentor had given him. A courier charged in on his horse, pulling at the reins to stop the animal. The insignia on his shoulder identified him as a citizen of Northumbria. By then, the news had already spread of the Dark One striking that kingdom so for there to be a courier piqued everyone’s interest. Soon enough, a crowd had formed around the man who was kneeling in front of King Ulf. 

“King Ulf, your highness, I come with a message from King Paul.” The man waited for confirmation from the King before rising to his feet. “The Dark One stroke Northumbria the Friday before last, and when all was lost, a savior appeared on a black steed. As the undead army approached, this stranger let loose a wave of magic that broke the Dark One’s hold on the damned.” Murmurs broke out amongst the crowd of people, only silencing when King Ulf raised his hand. 

“What do you mean ‘broke the hold’?” He asked, the courier never once breaking eye contact. 

“The undead no longer followed the orders of the Dark One. The one who freed them offered them a safe haven at a kingdom to the North that he called Nordmøre. Upon further investigation, we have uncovered that many smaller villagers have reported someone coming to their aide while they were under attack but the Dark One’s army, breaking his soldiers free and taking them to this kingdom.” A small glimmer of hope flickered in his mind, if someone was able to override the Dark One’s magic then they could put an end to this nightmare. However, when he looked at his majesty, his face showed he did not share the same sentiment. 

“While this could be good news, why would this man be taking the monsters he freed to his kingdom? Why wouldn’t he destroy them? What does he want with them?” He met the eyes of the courier who immediately knelt down in courtesy. “The motives of this stranger are unknown and he cannot be trusted. You would think if he had good intentions he would’ve offered his services to us sooner.” The man from Northumbria cleared his throat, the crowd quieting down to hear what he had to say.

“Your majesty, while I would usually agree, the person who saved us was not a man. He was a child, no more than 10 years old.” It was eerily silent, no one really able to believe what was coming from the courier’s mouth. For 8 years, the Dark One destroyed kingdoms, took countless lives only to revive them to serve him, all for a plan that no one knew of. And yet this man from Northumbria was telling them that it was all brought down by a young boy. 

“Commander Bosse, arrange a small party to scout out the area to the North. See if this Nordmøre truly exists.” Commander Bosse Berghult was King Ulf’s right-hand man and most trusted knight. Sykkuno looked up to the man so much, not only was he kind, noble, and resolute but compared to other men in the same profession, he was an amazing father to his son Joel. Bowing, the man chose about 4 other knights to accompany him on this journey before the group disappeared into the palace to prepare for what is to come. 

King Ulf dismissed the courier, offering him a night in the palace and supper, which he declined, stating he needed to return to Northumbria and report back to King Paul. Sykkuno watched the crowd disperse shortly after, chatter either filled with hope or fear. He could get where they were coming from, who knew what this mysterious person wanted to do with the undead army. At the same time, Sykkuno found it hard to believe a 10-year-old boy could have any bad intentions. But he couldn’t help but wonder how such a young child learned that magic to such a level that he could face the Dark One. 

Magic in humans was rare but not unheard of. Typically, you would only find them in nobles and their power would be pulled from the elements. The Dark One himself was an oddity in the fact that he could revive the dead however, the basis of his power was rooted in the element of ice. Just from what he heard, this boy didn’t rely on the elements for his magic, which means he had to pull it from some other source. But it also begged the question on if the Dark One and this child were nobles, what kingdoms did they hail from. The first human to ever possess magic was a king hundreds of years ago. It was from his blood that the ability to use magic spread, however it was something that remained within the royal and noble families as they tended to only reproduce with the best options for their lineage. 

“Hey ‘Kuno, what are you reading?” Sykkuno jumped at the sudden sound of the prince next to him. Prince Felix was three years older than him, but they became friends after this mom started working as a servant in the castle. He was far nicer than he thought he would be and was probably the funniest person he had ever met. The brunette offered him a smile, letting Felix get comfortable next to him before answering. 

“Just a book Miss Petunia gave me.” He closed the piece of writing, setting it off the side next to him. His head lolled to the side so he could look at his friend completely. He was wearing the typical silver and gold armor that comes with being the prince, his helmet was resting on the grass as well as his sword. Sykkuno couldn’t imagine that the armor was comfortable. “But to be honest, I’ve been thinking about what that courier said. What do you make of it?” Felix sighed, looking just as conflicted as he felt. 

“I don’t know. It's promising, we could use that kind of power on our side, but my father does have a point. Even if it is just a child, we can never know the intentions behind his actions. For all we know, someone could be manipulating him into convincing the damned army to fight for them.” Sykkuno supposed he had a point, and he definitely took after King Ulf. Part of him wanted to have faith that they had a knight in shining armor that can defeat the tyranny of the Dark One. But King Ulf was right, he could not be trusted. 

A year later, King Ulf passed away. Felix was of age and shortly after, he was crowned as King. In that time, Sardinia was nearly destroyed and momentarily, the King, Queen, and their daughter took refuge in Bremen until it was safe to return home. It didn’t take long for the newly crowned King Felix to fall in love with their daughter, Princess Marzia. After gaining the blessing of King Marziano, the two were married. It was a joyous occasion in such a devastating war. 

The Dark One tried to attack both Leinster and Dominion however, both attempts were thwarted by a new army. Their soldiers were covered head to toe in black armor, their blades serrated and engraved with runes of magic. That magic followed the elements, runes of red for fire, blue for ice, and green for earth. However, it was clear that someone else was enchanting their weapons for them as none of the soldiers showed any magical prowess. And Sykkuno knew all this because of Sir Sean McLoughlin, a noble from Leinster that moved to Bremen shortly after the attack. He and Felix were childhood friends as their families were very close and often visited each other. 

After those failed battles, the Dark One seemingly vanished. No more attacks resurfaced and what was left of his army had gone with him. Bremen, Leinster, Dominion, Sardinia, and Northumbria were the only kingdoms that stood, Lawan and Bavaria were too far gone to be repaired. Not long after the war ended, the five kingdoms held a meeting to discuss the residents of Nordmøre. Commander Bosse was successful in locating the kingdom despite the winter terrain of the land to the North. However, they were unable to infiltrate it because, as King Ulf had initially suspected, those broken from the Dark One’s hold were forced into the army of this new kingdom. They were dressed just as Sean had described them to be. 

The meeting ruled, with King Felix being the one to suggest this, that any contact with Nordmøre was strictly prohibited, punishable by death, and that if any knights of this kingdom were spotted to kill them on sight. The wounds were too fresh for any of the remaining lands to trust the undead. As time passed, Nordmøre became known as the Kingdom of the Dead and living creatures had never set foot inside of its boundaries, terrified of being turned into a pawn for their King. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thirteen years had passed since the Dark One last showed his face. The five remaining kingdoms had fully recovered from his attack by now, rebuilding their armies and ensuring peace between the five of their lands. In Bremen, now becoming the most diverse out of them all, recently welcomed their next heir, Prince Elias. He was three now, a lively toddler who definitely caused too much trouble around the palace. But their handmaid, Poki, took wonderful care of the young prince when his parents were too busy. 

Sykkuno was a full fledged healer now, surpassing his mentor 5 years ago in ability. King Felix named him the Head of Medics and if they went to battle, it was his decision which medics would go, how long they would be gone, and if they were fit enough. It was a lot of responsibility but Sykkuno loved it nonetheless. Toast moved up the ranks of the Bremenian army quickly, earning himself the spot of King Felix’s personal knight at 29, the youngest to ever earn that position. While he was not the strongest, he made up for it with his incredible intelligence. 

The day they were mourning the 14th anniversary of King Ulf’s death was the day the Dark One resurfaced. No one was expecting it, and he struck the Kingdom of Sardinia first. Sykkuno suspected it was because they were furthest from Nordmøre, but the survivors that fled to Bremen and Northumbria shared the same story. While he still had an army of the undead, he had other creatures on his side. They suspected they were failed experiments on both humans and animals alike that he brought back to life, turning them into monstrosities. But the experiments that survived were far more dangerous than anything in the Dark One’s arsenal. Queen Marzia was understandably devastated and the four Kings came together to form an alliance, an army that would hold soldiers from all four of their lands. But even with the largest army anyone has seen, it wasn’t enough. That was clear when they failed to protect Leinster. 

“We have no choice.” King Felix was standing at the head of the round table, four of the seven seats now empty. He was the youngest of the kings yet he was able to garner much respect from the more experienced rulers. “We must seek out help from Nordmøre.” This caused an uproar, King Paul rising from his seat with such anger. He was the eldest of the three Kings, white hair that curled around his ears and a beard covering the lower half of his face. He wore silver and red armor, the colors that symbolized his kingdom. 

“We shall do no such thing! It was those monsters who took my dear son away from me!” He growled, King Charles simply sitting calmly in his chair as he watched the scene unfold. His son, Prince Charles II was standing against the wall behind him. “There is no way in hell I am going to make an alliance with those bastards.” 

“With all due respect, King Paul, we do not have a choice. We need their army  _ and  _ their King to defeat the Dark One.” Felix argued, running a hand through his blonde hair. Sykkuno exchanged a glance with Toast, the two of them standing slightly off to the side. The two continued to bicker, before King Charles cleared his throat to get their attention. 

“King Felix is right. We must.” His hair was brown, white streaks found its way into his locks. He too had a beard but it was shorter than that of King Paul’s and instead of red, his kingdom’s armor was adorned with deep blue markings. “Besides, it gives us a chance to analyze their army. Find out their weaknesses.” At this, King Paul seemed to finally consider the suggestion. Eventually, he conceded.

“Very well. But I cannot promise I will be civil.” He spat, returning to his seat with a huff. King Felix sighed, following suit as he folded his hands neatly on the table in front of him. He didn’t blame him for being opposed to the idea, in fact he expected it. It was because of the undead army that King Paul’s son, Prince Dave, was slain in battle. 

“Myself, Commander Toast, and High Medic Sykkuno shall travel to Nordmøre to negotiate with their King.” Felix announced, and Sykkuno had to hold in the surprise noise he wanted to make. This was definitely news to him and he was downright terrified. He felt safe knowing that two highly skilled fighters would be with him but there was also very little known about the King of the North. All they knew about him was that he was the child that was able to fight the Dark One and that he was an undead as well. To be honest, that last ‘fact’ was just an assumption as the Dark One was a living lich so many just figured the only other person known to be able to have control over the dead would be too. 

“Please, take my son with you. He knows much about the undead’s weaknesses should you need it.” King Charles offered, Prince Charles II bowing towards Felix to show that he was willing. The father and son looked a lot like each other, though the prince’s hair was much longer than that of the king’s. Felix agreed, and the meeting soon ended after, Paul and Charles leaving for their own kingdoms. 

Felix, Toast, and Prince Charles spent the rest of the day strategizing while Sykkuno packed up any medical supplies he might need. They were to embark on their journey early tomorrow morning, it was about a day’s horse ride to Nordmøre, the longest one Sykkuno will ever be on but he knew that no matter how hard he tried, he wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight anyway. 

“You sure you’re okay with coming, Sykkuno?” Toast had appeared next to him, a hand on his shoulder in a way that was comforting. The brunette offered a smile up at his friend, closing the bag after feeling like he had everything he would need. They couldn’t pack too heavy after all. 

“Yeah, I’m honored Felix chose me.” The pair walked to their rooms that were adjacent to each other, bidding each other a good night’s rest. Sykkuno didn’t get any sleep that night, and by the time the sun started rising above the horizon, he found that he wasn’t quite tired either. So, he double checked to make sure that he had absolutely everything he needed, grabbing his two bags and making his way down to the stables. He made sure to actually wear his suit of armor (he hated it, it was uncomfortable but he felt it would be necessary), plates of gold and green cover him from his shoulders down. 

He found his horse, a lovely cream colored mare he named Anastasia, and began fastening the saddle to her back. He hooked up the bags to the sides and brought her over to make sure she had plenty of water and hay. She began munching happily and Sykkuno decided to pass the time by brushing out her mane. Toast walked in at one point, preparing his horse Disguise while a servant came to prepare Edgar, King Felix’s horse. Soon enough, the three of them were joined by Prince Charles and they disembarked on what was most definitely a death wish. 

Sykkuno didn’t know when they reached their destination, the last thing he remembered was stopping at a lake to let their horse’s eat, hydrate, and just rest their legs. From there it was supposed to be another couple hours but the brunette must’ve spaced out because the next thing he knew, they were in front of the frozen gates of Nordmøre. Commander Bosse wasn’t kidding when he said the lands up in the North were cold. 

“Stay alert.” King Felix straightened on the back of Edgar, edging the stallion forward who was a little hesitant. Sykkuno understood why because the two knights stationed in front of the gates were putting him on edge as well. Just as Sean said, they were dressed in all black armor though up close, he could make out fur sticking out at certain parts, either for style or warmth. Though he didn’t think undead had to stay warm. 

What was off putting about them the most was how...human they looked. From the countless stories he’s heard, from seeing part of the Dark One’s army, they always looked like walking decomposing corpses. However, these two standing in front of them had skin that was intact, the only hint that they weren’t alive were their extremely pale skin and inhuman icy blue eyes. Their helmets lay in the snow next to their feet and neither made a move to grab them, instead resting their hands on the hilt of their sheathed swords. 

“State your business.” Even their voices were human. Sykkuno felt lost but he just had to remind himself that these two probably have their fair share of innocent blood on their hands. Most of the residents in Nordmøre were released from the control of the Dark One. Felix was the one to speak, fitting because he was the authority figure after all. 

“I am King Felix of Bremen and I wish to speak with the King of Nordmøre regarding the Dark One.” The two undead knights exchanged a glance, the female opening her mouth to answer but the gate creaked open, revealing another knight fully covered in black armor this time. Unlike the other two that held blades of blue runes, his were red and it was clear by their reaction that he was a higher rank than him. He was mounted on a black steed, though that wasn’t alive either as its hooves were covered in blue flames that didn’t seem to melt the show beneath it. Behind him were several other knights. 

“The King saw your coming. Follow.” He pulled at the reins turning his horse around to head towards the palace looming over everything else. Felix led the way, Toast and Sykkuno following suit as Charles took his place behind them. The other undead knights surrounded their group to make sure they didn’t try to pull any tricks. He felt uneasy but at the same time, he wasn’t worried they would pull something. At least he hoped. 

As they reached the courtyard of the castle, the one to address them dismounted, waiting patiently for them to do the same. Begrudgingly, they did and watched their horses get whisked off to what he assumed as the stables. The other nights didn’t follow them inside the castle and he assumed it was because the place was lined in guards. The undead they were following, which Sykkuno learned was their Commander, was ever silent. He led them down a long hallway before descending a flight of stairs. The castle itself was not bad, though Sykkuno found its interior to be rather gloomy. It was filled with colors of black, gray, and occasionally blue or red. There were no pictures hung on the walls nor were there any plants to liven up the place. The only decoration was a single long carpet cover the length of the floor. Soon enough, they were pushing through a large set of double doors that revealed the throne room. 

“Your Highness, I have brought them.” Sykkuno was able to pinpoint his accent as that of Northumbria. Many of those that lived here in Nordmøre were knights from the seven kingdoms so it didn’t come as a surprise. Vaguely, the brunette wondered if their King hailed from any of the lands. The Commander led them further into the room, two guards stopping them at a certain point and forcing them to their knees. Sykkuno watched the Northumbrian undead take his place to the right of the King and he finally allowed himself to look up at the mysterious ruler. Just like his knights, his armor was all black, a fading wine red cape attached to his shoulder pieces. His sword was leaning against the throne and Sykkuno realized that while their King wasn’t bigger than him, his blade most certainly was. His engravings were not only different but that magic that was infused into his held a deep purple hue. The brunette could not make out any other features, skin and eye color alike. King Felix held his kneeling position, though Sykkuno could tell it upset him off to an extent. 

“I am King Felix of Bremen. The Dark One has made his return and threatens to haunt the remaining kingdoms. I ask for Nordmøre to join the alliance aimed towards bringing an end to his tyranny.” The only sound that filled the room was the crackling fire on the side of the room and the occasional clinking of metal armor. The King of the Dead adjusted in his throne, his elbows coming to rest upon his knees as his fingers interlaced before him. 

“And why would I help you?” His voice was deep, a sound that shook Sykkuno to his core. He should be terrified, he knows that, but the sound of their King speaking had a certain soothing aspect to it. It seems his voice had as much as an affect on the others as well. “It was you who ordered the death of my people, right,  _ Felix.”  _ There was so much venom dripping from his words, the person whom it was directed towards, lifting his head to give him an equally loathing glare. 

“Because he’ll be coming after Nordmøre. You know just as well as I do that we need each other in this battle.” Felix sneered, no longer caring about faking respect because it was clear neither carried that for the other. “The last thing I want to do is make an alliance with you mongrels.” The grips of the guards visibly tightened and Sykkuno subconsciously scooted closer to Toast, whose hand had carefully moved towards his blade. The tension was thick in the room and the undead King stood from his throne, grabbing his sword and spinning it in his grip with perfect precision. 

“I think you forget that these mongrels were once denizens of your kingdoms. Soldiers that died to save your people.” He stopped only a few inches away from where Felix kneeled, his blade coming to rest under the King’s chin. Sykkuno held his breath, expecting Toast to lunge at any moment. “Perhaps if you had done better, they wouldn’t be here,  _ your majesty _ .” Felix growled but didn’t say anything, the man before them sheathing his weapon as he turned to address the guard who led them to the throne room. 

“Commander, ready the Knights of the Ebon Blade. It is time to bring the Dark One to his knees.” 


	2. Discord

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry for the long time between chapters, I promise I haven't forgotten about this fic. Unlike all my other ones, this story requires a lot more thought when it comes to plot. Because of this, updates between chapters are going to be longer than usual. If you really like my writing and want more, I do have an ongoing Single Dad AU that I uploaded a couple days ago called Hija Mia! 
> 
> Huge shoutout to Mollyrolls for helping me beta this chapter. If you haven't checked out her stuff, please do! She's amazing <3

They spent the night in Nordmøre. There was plenty of room in the castle so they wouldn’t have to share a room, but Sykkuno found he couldn’t rest. Maybe it was because this was unfamiliar territory, or maybe it was because he felt he was going to get killed in his sleep. At least Toast, Felix, and Prince Charlie were able to defend themselves...Sykkuno, on the other hand, was not skilled with the sword by any means. If any of King Corpse’s lackeys decided to off him in his sleep, they’d succeed without anyone knowing until morning. 

But that had not been the case. After a few hours of uncomfortable sleep, Sykkuno got dressed in his armor feeling refreshed after his warm bath. A servant was in earlier to draw it for him, even leaving some nice soaps for him to use. His anxiety around the idea of getting murdered in his room slowly began fizzling out, the brunette choosing to make sure he had everything he needed before opening the door. 

Toast was already out there waiting for him with Felix, and three began their silent walk to the dining room where they met up with Prince Charlie. They were led by a servant to what he assumed was the dining hall, where the King sat at the head of the table and his Commander stood directly to his right. Both were fully armored, helmets and all. There was no food in front of the King, which made sense because he was undead and dead people didn’t need to eat...but he noticed four plates set on the opposite end of the table. Felix took his seat across from King Corpse, Toast to the blonde’s right and Prince Charlie to the left. Sykkuno sat on the other side of Toast as they fell into an awkward silence. He was unsure if they could trust the food, it looked too alive to be from the land of the dead. 

Sykkuno sighed, hands crossed on his lap, watching Toast carefully take a piece of venison sitting in front of them. He brought the meat up to his nose to sniff first and after deeming it okay, he finally took a bite. The knight did this for every piece of food and even the drink that was poured for Felix and Prince Charlie. Sykkuno let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding when, finally, Toast declared their food to be safe and the four men began to fill their plates up. 

“So,” Felix spoke, spine straight, his voice carrying the weight of royalty with it, “why does your kingdom have this food? I am under the impression that the dead don’t eat, am I wrong?” Leave it to their king to just get straight to the point.

“You are correct, though your ignorance is palpable.” The King’s voice boomed and Sykkuno watched the muscle’s in Felix’s jaws tighten at the insult. While the ruler of Bremen was still young, he has made a name by his fierce battle capabilities. Even the wisest of kings and the most skilled of knights didn’t dare speak ill of King Felix. And it was evident that King Corpse knew who he was so there’s no way he hadn’t heard the stories. It made Sykkuno wonder just how powerful he was. 

“My undead look more human than you initially thought, do they not?” An armored hand lifted off the table to gesture towards the servants standing on the side of the room. And just like the two knights they first met once reaching the gates of Nordmøre, the undead in the King’s court looked far more alive than anyone expected. Their skin ghostly pale and their glowing blue eyes were the only indicators that they were, in fact, dead. “They may not have to consume food to survive, but it does not mean they don’t indulge in the act for the sake of enjoyment.” 

The room fell silent after that, the clinking of forks against glass plates filling the space instead. Annoyance was practically radiating off of Felix and Sykkuno could see that King Corpse took far too much pleasure in it. Toast was the first to finish the meal, allowing a servant to clear the area in front of him as he waited patiently for his King. There were so many questions Sykkuno wanted to ask but the last thing he wanted to do was draw attention to himself. So he opted to hold his tongue instead, head held low. Luckily, Prince Charlie was there to pick up the conversation. 

“Your kingdom is made up of many...denizens from all seven lands, correct?” Throughout their journey to these frozen lands, Prince Charlie had spoken such few words that the sound of his voice still sounded foreign to the brunette’s ears. Dominion, where Charlie hails from, was known for its brutish army, a true testament to how they were able to withstand the onslaught of the Dark One even when they were vastly outnumbered. But the way their Prince spoke showed that there was more to him than he let on. And King Corpse caught onto that as well. 

“Yes, the undead that inhabit this land were freed from the shackles that the Dark One placed in their minds. His army is made up of the people he massacred and when I broke the trance," The Ebon King leaned forward, both elbows planted on the wooden table. " _ I  _ gave them the option of living here or going their own way.” His answer was calculated, not wanting to reveal more than he had to. In fact, Sykkuno was surprised he was answering them at all. They were guests in his palace, they held no power over him and most Kings would be weary of such personal questions. 

“The majority of Nordmøre consist of the kingdoms that were lost. We house many of the residents that were forced to fight for the Dark One after Sardinia, Leinster, Lawan, and Bavaria were destroyed. We do not have very many from Bremen or Dominion, but you may find a few.” The Commander spoke this time, his voice far too metallic from what Sykkuno assumed was the helmet. But at the sound of his kingdom’s name, he felt his breath hitch. The idea of coming across someone he might have known before his land was destroyed had never crossed his mind. And he wasn’t quite sure what he would do if that situation came up. 

“I see.” Prince Charlie brought the liquid filled glass to his lips, his eyes never leaving that of where the Commander’s would be, had he not been wearing a helmet.. While there were many things Sykkuno found odd about this kingdom, he would have to say the thing that put him off the most was the secrecy surrounding the commander and king’s true identities.. If this undead king somehow hailed from one of the seven kingdoms, they would know who he was, right? He must have had powerful magic when he was alive, and there was no way that would have gone under the radar. Sykkuno couldn’t speak much for the Commander, he knew nothing about the man. Only that he was from Northumbria. 

“So tell me,” All eyes were on Prince Charlie as he set the cup down once again, his gaze boring into the mystery Ebon Blade knight. “How is it that a Northumbrian royal, such as yourself, ends up in Nordmøre?” The three men sitting with the Prince stared at him, slack-jaw with awe at the statement. There were so many things Sykkuno wanted to know, like how Prince Charlie came to that conclusion, but the tension in the room was  _ thick _ and the brunette barely felt like he could breathe. He watched the two exchange a few words in a language he could not understand before King Corpse rose to his feet, signaling for the servants to take the plates of food away. 

The heavy oak chair whirred as the King stood, wood scraping against the cold stone floor. “That is enough questions for now.” The low growl in his words sent a shiver down Sykkuno’s spine. “Come, you will join me for the preparations.” It wasn’t a request so much as it was a command and soon enough, the four men found themselves following behind the King. The purple haze rolling off of his blade like waves only left more unanswered inquiries about who this man could possibly be. It was evident that the weapons used by the Ebon Blade were enchanted, and Sykkuno wondered if it was their King who placed the spells on them. Or perhaps, they had another magic user within their ranks who did all the work but took none of the glory.

They were led outside the castle, the biting cold of Nordmøre nipping at the tips of his ears. The icy temperatures didn’t seem to bother its inhabitants and Sykkuno wearily watched the nights stationed at the entrance of the ominous building salute to their King and Commander. The land was silent and the only sound that could be heard was the whistling of wind and the crunch of freshly fallen snow beneath their feet. It was a rather fitting place for the undead, he thought, as they rounded their way towards the side of the palace. 

There was a building made of wood, orange light filtering through the closed windows that suggested a fire was burning inside. The roof was made of some type of fur nailed into the frame. He would imagine that not only helped keep the wind out, but it also helped retain any heat the fire would create. The structure itself was long and judging from the sounds coming from inside, it was a stable of sorts. Sykkuno figured this was where their horses were being kept. 

They entered and he was quite amazed with what he saw. Yes, there were equestrians lining one wall. The four he recognized as their own were grazing on hay while the others were sleek black with blue fire coming from their hooves. They must be undead, however, he noticed that the flames did not even leave scorch marks. On the other wall were the predators that inhabit this land. Long before Nordmøre was established, rumors of the fierce animals spread all over the seven kingdoms. They were unhinged, untamable, and they had an acute thirst for blood. 

Dire wolves. 

Sykkuno faltered, hesitant. The mere sight of them made him nervous. He barely registered the only other person in the building. A woman with traits belonging to Bavaria, undead like everyone else, with long brown hair that faded into blonde. She was beautiful, he supposed, though who knew how many had died by her hand. Currently, she was brushing the black mane of one of the lich horses, whispering sweet nothings to them. She smiled as they approached. 

“Good morning, your majesty.” She greeted, though there was no salute to follow along. And it seemed King Corpse seemed undeterred by it, only nodding his head in return. There was a certain air of...familiarity between the two. Immediately, Toast and King Felix checked on their steeds, relieved to find that they were just as they had left them. Prince Charles was much slower to follow, his eyes trained on the Commander who had trailed behind them. Sykkuno held his breath as he passed the King and the stable hand, reaching a hand up to stroke the nose of Anastasia. She neighed happily at him and he couldn’t help but giggle. He began talking to her in Lawanese, his native tongue, but she soon became uneasy as a feeling of something watching them overtook their senses. 

And that’s when he spotted it. One of the dire wolves from earlier had stirred, it’s unsettling blue eyes staring him down. It’s white fur shone in the sunspot it had made itself comfortable, the fangs protruding from its jaw ending just underneath its mandible. Slowly, it rose to its paws and stalked towards him, stopping only inches away from him. Sykkuno half expected it to lunge and maul his throat out but instead, it took a seat in front of his feet. He felt the beast nudge his hand and hesitantly, the brunette began scratching behind its ears. It closed his eyes, tilting its head into the motion and Sykkuno couldn’t help the smile that crossed his lips. 

“He likes you.” The healer jumped, finding King Corpse right next to him.“That’s not an easy feat.” He hadn’t even  _ heard _ the man approach, so lost in the way the dire wolf’s fur felt under his touch. 

Sykkuno looked back down at the creature as if it would answer his problems, his eyebrows knitting together the more he let his brain run rampant. For the past two days, he had gotten used to King Corpse’s deep voice holding such disgust and hatred every time he addressed the group. In fact, he had nearly beheaded Felix the first time they were face to face. So then  _ why _ was he speaking to him so... _ softly.  _

“O-Oh. W-What’s, uhm, what’s his name?” He frowned at the way his voice shook. Sykkuno decidedly set all his focus on the dire wolf, at the way it raised his head when the brunette moved his hand to scratch his chin, or the way his ears flattened against his head in euphoria. The smile was once again returning unbidden to his face. 

The King's voice sounded amused, “Rae named him Blizzard, though I don’t think he’s much of a fan.” The growl that left Blizzard's mouth at the name caused Sykkuno to laugh. Yeah, he could tell that the wolf did not like the name. He couldn’t blame him, it wasn’t a very creative name. He’d be upset if he was named after a physical feature of his. 

“How about Brutus?” The dire wolf huffed, moving its head to stare at him. It almost seemed like he  _ knew  _ Sykkuno was trying to name him. 

“Um, Hunter?” The brunette dropped his hand when there was no response. 

“Kodak?” Nothing. 

“Rufus?” Sykkuno could’ve sworn he heard King Corpse chuckle but chose to ignore it. 

“Bimbus?” The wolf’s tail began to wag, shoving its head into his hands once more. Sykkuno let out an honest to god laugh, dropping down onto his knees so he could pet him better, uncaring of the dirt that could scuff his armor. He felt its tongue drag across his cheek and something told him that he liked the name. 

“A dire wolf’s judgement is impeccable.” Though he couldn't see his face, Sykkuno could practically hear the pride in Corpse’s voice, causing him to look up. “Once you have gained one’s trust, it will risk its life to protect you.” He approached, resting an armored hand on the white fur of his back. He was entranced, unable to tear his eyes away from the opening of the Ebon King’s helmet. Briefly, he wondered if his eyes were a glowing blue like his subjects. 

“You have earned his loyalty. Treat Bimbus well.” His reverie was broken as soon as Corpse turned away, leaving the healer in shock at what had just happened. Did...did Nordmøre’s king just gift him a dire wolf? 

Sykkuno tensed as Toast approached him, eyeing Bimbus carefully. He could feel the rumble in his chest as he began to growl so the brunette stroked his head to show it was okay. That this was a friend, not an enemy. 

“Are you okay? What did  _ he  _ say to you?” Sykkuno couldn’t focus on the knight, instead staring at the back of King Corpse’s head. He was talking to that woman, Rae he assumed, as well as Felix and Charlie. Sykkuno had completely forgotten that their purpose for coming here; they were preparing for war. The horses and wolves, if they were using them, would have to be fitted with armor. 

“N-Nothing.” He cleared his throat and rose to his feet with the help of Toast. He was a little embarrassed with how weak his knees felt at the moment. Bimbus followed suit, trailing right along with him so they could join the group. 

“And what of that beast following you?” Was Sykkuno personally offended at the tone his friend took when addressing his new animal companion? Absolutely. 

“Toast, this is Bimbus. He’s taken a liking to me.” Sykkuno proudly presented the wolf like it was his own child. And maybe it was something he should get to gloat about; it's not everyday you get to name a dire wolf  _ and  _ keep it as your own. He didn’t care what the knight had to say about the situation. 

“-animals fitted by tomorrow, your majesty.” Rae’s voice cut in once they were close enough, her arms crossed over her chest. She addressed King Corpse a lot more casually than his other servants, much like how Sean spoke with Felix whenever they were together. 

“Good. I shall leave you to it, Rae.” Corpse led the group out through the doors, Bimbus stopping just at the exit. Sykkuno knew it was most likely against the rules for him to come into the palace but he wouldn’t be lying if he said he already missed the wolf. 

Off to the side several paces away from where the stable stood, Sykkuno could make out the outline of stone steps peeking out through the snow. And at the bottom of the hill was a rather unassuming building, smoke blowing out through the chimney up top. It seemed rather cozy where it sat and the brunette could not think of any reason they would have to make a stop here. The wood of the door creaked as the Undead King opened it, revealing a rather bland interior. It was how Sykkuno pictured just about every domestic home. 

But they continued further in, following him into a kitchen that looked just as tasteless as the rest of the house. The steel of Corpse’s boots scraped against the wooden floor when he kicked the carpet up, revealing a trap door of sorts. The Commander knelt down to lift it open for them, the dreary gray cobblestone unnerving Sykkuno to no end. With a shaky breath, he followed close after Toast. 

“Ah, Corpse.” The clank of glass being set on a table filled his ears and he finally took in the setting around him. While this basement was dark, glowing liquids of several colors made up for the lack of light. On one wall stood a shelf where many vials were stored, filled with both liquids and gases. Place on another were weapons of all kinds and finally, he took in the person sitting at the desk. It was a man, and from the neck down he was covering in a long white robe. His hands were covered in thick black gloves that came to remove the goggles from around his eyes. 

He was shocked to find that this man was a  _ human _ . 

“I have made excellent progress with the serum!” Though the lighting was terrible, Sykkuno could make out short brown hair, skin that actually held color instead of the ghostly pale characteristic to the undead, and his eyes were a deep shade of brown. Chaos broke out within seconds. 

Felix had drawn his sword, sparks flying through the air as metal landed against metal. The tip of his sword was pressed underneath King Corpse’s helmet into the skin of his neck. The Commander leapt into action moments later but was halted by Charlie who used his blade to prevent him from coming to Corpse’s aid. Sykkuno was dragged behind Toast for protection. Every instinct in him screamed for him to grab his weapon but his body was frozen in place. 

“You’re using your magic to brainwash humans?” Felix spat, his grip on the hilt of his sword tightening. King Corpse hadn’t moved the entire time but a sinking feeling of dread filled every fiber of his being. The room dimmed, shadowing tendrils circling around Corpse’s fingers as dark laughter loomed over them. 

“You have 3 seconds to release me.” There was no fear in his voice, only pure authority as he spoke. Felix didn’t move though Sykkuno caught the way his stance faltered slightly. 

“Three.” The temperature in the room dropped. 

“Two.” His legs began to shake as his magic only grew. He opened his mouth to beg Felix to back off, to yield this one fight. 

" _ One _ .” Just as the blonde made a move to lunge, purple magic burst all around them, wrapping itself around his King’s throat. Sykkuno watched in horror as Felix was lifted off the ground as Corpse rose his arm, his sword clattering against the stone floor. Corpse was facing him now, his voice low when he addressed the Bremen King. 

“You will know your place here,  _ Felix.”  _ The brunette couldn’t remember when he had fallen to his knees, his body shaking with sobs. He could only watch helplessly as Felix tried to pull himself free. Toast surged forward but was subsequently thrown back by a blast of Corpse’s magic. A loud crack was heard when his skull collided with the wall. The sound made Sykkuno  _ sick. _

“You are in  _ my  _ kingdom.” Corpse snarled as the skin of Felix’s lips began turning blue, his arms falling limply to his side. His consciousness was waning and Sykkuno was the only one who could save him. Prince Charlie was cornered against a wall by the Commander, Toast was unconscious, and if he didn’t do something fast, they were all gonna die. 

The brunette all but dragged himself to where King Corpse stood, pulling himself up just enough to grip the arm that was concentrating magic against Felix. His head snapped to stare at him and through the slit where his eyes would be, Sykkuno could make out the glow of deep purple. 

“P-Please,” He choked down his sob, forcing himself to stand upright despite the way his knees shook. “Please, let him go.” For a few seconds, there was nothing. King Corpse didn’t withdraw his magic, only stared impassively at the healer who was begging for the life of the man who had just assaulted him. And finally, when Sykkuno was sure Felix wouldn’t open his eyes again, the magic had dissipated and the King’s unconscious body fell to the floor unceremoniously. 

Sykkuno dove for the ground, his unsteady fingers coming to find a pulse. It was there, but it was incredibly weak. The color returned to Felix’s lips and fingertips and the healer took that as his chance to check on Toast. He, too, was unconscious and there was blood coming from the wound on the back of his head. He dug into the satchel connected to his thigh, pulling out a cloth that he could carefully press against the wound. 

“Commander,” King Corpse’s voice sounded far too steady than it should be, void of any emotion it previously had. The scraping sound of a sword being sheathed echoed off the stone walls and Sykkuno looked up to make sure Prince Charlie was okay. He was holding his shoulder but other than that, he seemed unharmed.  “Ensure our  _ guests _ are shown to their room.” Sykkuno shifted his gaze to the floor when King Corpse passed him, heavy footsteps causing the old wood of the stairs to groan under his weight. Through all of this, the human that was the cause of this all stayed stone silent, the only indication that he had witnessed something being the tightness in his jaw. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment! I'd love to hear what you all think <3


	3. Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one came out a little early than usual because the next chapter is going to pick up a lot story-wise. And I wanted to distract a friend from so really it's a win-win.
> 
> Credit to Mollyrolls for all the help she's given me on this fic! She's not only my beta but also helping me think through my own storylines and coming up with new ideas <3

_ The rolling fields expanded endlessly before him, golden buckwheat swaying in the soft summer breeze. The warm rays from the sun danced across his skin as his fingers filtered through the soft stalks of greenery. It resembled the meadows you’d see in a dream, and he supposed that’s exactly what this was. In the distance, a flicker of light was calling to him, his body moving on its own. It pulsated the closer he drew near and when he reached a hand out… _

_ The sound of a voice called out to him. He’s heard it somewhere before but his mind refuses to make the connection. And just as he looks away from the light, darkness consumes him and the scream is ripped from his throat. He was plunged into the ocean, water filling his lungs with each breath he tried to take.  _

**_‘Embrace the night.’_ **

_ His eyes burned because of the saltwater but in the distance, he could make out the silhouette of a man. There was something about his presence that felt...calming. That made Sykkuno forget about the water that filled his lungs, forget about the searing pain throughout his body. The shadow screamed at him to trust those words, to do everything it tells him to. And so he did.  _

_ When he opened his eyes, he was in a temple of sorts he did not recognize. It was falling in on itself, two stone pillars barely holding the building upright. To Sykkuno, it was clear that no one has come to worship here in many many years. In the middle was a statue of two lovers, a man holding the body of a woman close to him. They were dancing and the longer he took in the carving, he felt a sense of...familiarity. He could’ve sworn he’s never seen these people before yet his mind was telling him he’s known them for ages.  _

**_‘Your heart holds the light.’_ **

_ It was that man’s voice again though it sounded farther away. Like it was struggling to reach his ears. There was a flicker in the eyes of the statue before the ground beneath him shook. He fell through the earth, reaching up as if he could grasp the temple ceiling. The wind roared all around as he plummeted through the darkness, screaming for anybody to help him, to save him. A flash of purple eyes, the ground coming closer and closer with each passing second, and then… _

Sykkuno awoke with a start, the blankets pooling to his lap as he sat up. His heart was pounding in his chest and for just a moment, he couldn’t recognize where he was. His cheeks were wet with tears but he couldn’t bring himself to care about that. Slowly, as he breathed himself down from the panic, he remembered the journey he had taken here. He was in Nordmøre, he was staying in the palace, he was safe. He wasn’t alone, he came here with Toast, Prince Charlie, and Felix. 

_ Felix. _

The events of that day filled his mind and Sykkuno flung himself out of bed. He grabbed one of the silk robes hanging by the latrine to hastily tie it around his body. He was out the door without a second's thought, wiping away the tears on his sleeve. He could remember the way to the infirmary, King Corpse’s Commander showing him the way. He had said it was because Sykkuno was their healer, but he felt it was because the Commander actually felt...guilty about what happened. 

Down the second set of stairs, the hallway to the left, down the corridor until you reach the second to last door on the right.  _ ‘Infirmary’  _ was carved into the wood and his hand came to rest on the old oak wood handle. But he hesitated, his body freezing at the idea of what he might find in there. Maybe King Felix died, maybe he and Toast were turned into the undead, or...or maybe he would walk into them getting murdered. 

As quietly as the old wood allowed him, he peered into the room with a grimace at the creaking sound it made. He was relieved not only to find Felix breathing, but Toast was sitting up in the bed next to the King’s  _ and  _ Prince Charlie was leaning against the back wall staring off into nothing. The breath he hadn’t realized he was holding left his mouth, the brunette entering the room completely before closing the door behind him. Toast had a knife drawn in a second but upon realizing it was him, he set it back down. 

“Couldn’t sleep either?” Prince Charlie was looking at him now, his shoulders slouched as Sykkuno took in just how tired he looked. Seems this day wasn’t easy on any of them. He approached the sleeping King, feeling bile rise in his esophagus as the glaring blue and purple of the bruises left around his neck stared back at him. It was a miracle that magic hadn’t crushed his airway. 

“How is your shoulder?” Sykkuno forced his attention to the prince instead, gingerly placing two fingers against the swollen joint. He flinched but didn’t reel back at his touch. It had gone down in size over the past couple of hours but it would definitely ache for a couple of days. Sykkuno didn’t know how it got injured, but according to Prince Charlie, the Commander hit it with the blunt edge of his blade hard enough to cause injury through the armor he was wearing. 

“That doesn’t matter right now.” There was a slight edge to Charlie’s voice as he spoke and almost instinctively, Sykkuno pulled back. If the events of this last day taught him anything, it would be that the Prince of Dominion was deceptively intelligent. Scarily so. 

“What I want to know,” He pushed off the wall, circling the healer much like a vulture does its prey, “is why the fuck that bastard listened to  _ you. _ ” His eyes were impassive but his tone definitely told Sykkuno that he was suspicious. And he supposed it was a fair reaction; it’s not like he knew why King Corpse listened to him either. But the accusation made his hands shake nonetheless. 

“I-I don’t-” 

“Wait, what?” Toast spoke for the first time since he entered the infirmary, rising from the bed he was sitting on to stand with the two men. Prince Charlie crossed his arms and Sykkuno couldn’t help but feel incredibly  _ small  _ compared to them. 

“You missed it. The mongrel was about to choke Felix to death and then Sykkuno over here asked him to stop. And he did. Touched him and everything.” Toast rounded on him once the words left Charlie’s mouth, shaking him where he stood as if that would solve all their problems. 

“Sykkuno, did he hex you? Oh god, please tell me you’re not brainwashed.” The knight examined every little inch of skin that was exposed and Sykkuno knew he was looking for the seal that accompanied a spell. Whenever magic that is meant to control one’s mind is cast, there is some sort of mark on their body to prove just that. Though, Sykkuno couldn’t imagine it would be in such obvious places like the wrist or neck. 

“N-No, I’m fine. I don’t k-know why he listened to m-me.” It was truthful but evidently, it wasn’t enough to satisfy Charlie. 

“Then you’re a traitor. You’re working for him, aren’t you?” He spat, venom dripping from every single word that left his mouth. Sykkuno stumbled back when the prince began to stalk towards him, nearly tripping over one of the many bed frames. He expected Toast to help him, they’ve known each other for years after all, but he just stood there silently. His lips were drawn in a thin line and he couldn’t even meet the brunette’s eyes. 

The back of Sykkuno’s knees hit the bed and he fell onto the mattress, Charlie reaching over to grab Toast’s sword from beside the man’s armor. Reality sunk in when he felt the sting of a sword’s blade pierce the skin of his neck ever so slightly. Prince Charlie was serious, he was going to kill him. 

“W-Wait,” Toast didn’t make a move to stop him, only staring down at Sykkuno. His eyebrows were knitted together and it hurt more than anything to know that the person he considered his best friend  _ doubted  _ his loyalty, “are we sure about this?” The tears flowed freely down his cheeks, unable to hold back the sobs any longer. 

“P-Please…” Sykkuno wanted to beg, wanted for them to give him the chance to prove his innocence, but the grip around the hilt of the weapon tightened. And just when he thought he would feel the metal tear through his throat, the door to the infirmary groaned to announce a new arrival. 

From his position on the bed, he could barely make out the person who came in, but the messy brown hair gave it all away. He had never been so glad to see another human before and he just prayed that he would help rather than just watch him get murdered. 

“What...did I just walk into?” The blade didn’t let up on his throat but at least it hadn’t decapitated him yet. Charlie narrowed his eyes at the newcomer, a hand coming down on his shoulder to hold him in place. As if Sykkuno was dumb enough to move when the possibility of getting his throat slit was all too real. 

“Traitors to the alliance must be removed.” Was his simple explanation, eliciting a sigh from the scientist. His hands came up to rub at the eyes underneath the metal glasses he wore. He walked to one of the only stools in the room, popping a squat to rest his arms on his knees. 

“You can put the sword away. I can assure you, your friend is not a traitor.” His nasal voice seemed indifferent as if it didn’t really matter to him if his throat was slit open or not. But much to Sykkuno’s relief, Prince Charlie pulled back after a while. A shaky hand came to hold the new wound on his neck, trickles of blood seeping between his fingers to no doubt stain the pure white of his undershirt. 

“Then that prick Corpse is brainwashing him.” Toast said this time, helping Sykkuno sit up on the bed but the brunette pulled his arm out of the knight’s grasp. Just being near him made his eyes burn even more than they already did. 

“You know,” the scientist groaned, running both hands through the strands of his unruly hair, “I don’t know where the 7 kingdoms got the idea that Corpse can control minds.” No one said anything after that, the man rolling in the chair until his back was against the wall. He seemed to be deep in thought, considering his next words carefully, as if the fate of everything hung on what he said. And perhaps it did. 

“My name is Michael, I’m originally from Dominion.” And naturally, this made Prince Charlie tense up. He opened his mouth to speak but Michael cut him off before he could. “And no, I’m not being brainwashed or forced to serve him. I chose to do it of my own free will.” 

“Why would you leave Dominion to work for  _ him? _ ” Prince Charlie growled, clearly upset that one of his own citizens left to work for the enemy. Michael only seemed to regard him half-heartedly and Sykkuno found it impressive that the man didn’t cower under the scathing glare of his old prince. That habit must be hard to break; from a young age, everyone was taught to follow the orders set in place by the King and their children. To always be truthful while in their presence. 

“I have my own reasons.” Michael stood straight, narrowed eyes fixated on Prince Charlie. As if that answer wasn’t suspicious, he was all but begging him to take the bait. “I came here to ask that you give Corpse a chance. He’s not what the Kings make him out to be.” He leaned back, eyes lingering on the unconscious form of Felix. Michael’s jaw tightened into a disgusted scowl. Prince Charlie was at a loss for words, and the scientist took that as his cue to leave, stopping at the door momentarily to look back at them. 

“Oh, and if you want to duel Corpse, don’t fucking do it in my laboratory. Do you know how late I stayed up cleaning that shit?” Michael grumbled something under his breath before finally leaving the foreigners alone in the infirmary. While that encounter left a lot of questions, Sykkuno began to see a theme when it came to King Corpse’s interactions with his subjects. They were always so casual, rarely saluting him or even just addressing him by his name without the title in front of it. 

The tension in the room was suffocating and Sykkuno really couldn’t tell if that was because he was still holding onto his neck or if the air was thick. But he did know that he couldn’t be around Prince Charlie or Toast right now, so with a voice that sounded far too small to be his own, he excused himself to his bed chambers. 

Sleep didn’t come that night. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three days. It’s been three days since anyone has seen King Corpse. The Commander would be the one accompanying them during meals or any preparations they needed to make. Rae, the stablehand, had sent out one of her beasts to locate the Dark One so all they had to do was wait for its return. All the animals were fitted with armor, including their horses, and the blacksmiths of the undead were busy creating the extra weapons and equipment they would undoubtedly need. 

On the third day though, halfway through their nightly meal, the doors to the dining hall swung open to reveal King Corpse himself. He was wearing his usual set of armor, though Sykkuno caught onto the way his shoulders sagged ever-so-slightly. He didn’t take his seat at the head of the table, instead opting to stand by his chair with his hands clasped together behind his back. It seemed he was avoiding Felix’s gaze, their King had woken up yesterday and today was the first day he was allowed outside the infirmary. 

There was just a beat of silence and then, “There are matters we need to discuss.” At first, it was hard to tell the tone in his voice but Sykkuno was able to gather that something was… different about it. There was something underneath the complex layers that he yearned to uncover. 

“Yes. Perhaps we should start with the attempted regicide.” Felix set the fork he was holding down with a clank against the glass plate, his elbows coming to rest on the table so he could lean forward. Sykkuno swallowed, staring down at his lap in hopes that the conflict would be avoided. 

“If I am not mistaken,” The icy edge returned to Corpse’s words, “you were the one that struck first,  _ your majesty.”  _

Felix slammed his hands down on the table, the chair screeching against the floor at his abrupt movement. “I wouldn’t have attacked you, had you not forced that human to do your bidding!” 

Sykkuno desperately wanted to speak out, to ask his King just to drop the subject, but Toast and Charlie still didn’t trust him and he was sure that at least one of them had voiced their suspicions to Felix. 

“I have never forced anyone to do anything!” Corpse’s voice boomed and the sheer power behind it caused Sykkuno to jump. He’s never heard him raise his voice before and the brunette wasn’t quite sure how to feel about it. Yes, it was intimidating but in a way, he found it to be... **_arousing._ **

His cheeks had grown warm. He was thankful no one was paying attention to him at the moment. 

“You should take a hint from your healer. He is the only one out of you dimwits with  _ some  _ intelligence.” Sykkuno snapped his head up to stare at Corpse with wide eyes, tensing the second he felt all pairs of eyes on him. Charlie and Felix’s were narrowed but Toast seemed to be in denial. 

“Speaking of him,” he still couldn’t believe this was happening, “he will have to stay in Nordmøre for a while.” Sykkuno couldn’t stay silent anymore, fiddling with the sleeve of the healer’s robe he wore.

“W-What?” He squeaked, flinching at the way his voice raised an octave. 

_ “Why?” _ Toast asked this time, narrowing his eyes at the King that stood at the end of the table. 

Corpse didn’t say anything in response, and Sykkuno grew increasingly nervous at the possible reason as to  _ why  _ he wanted him to stay. 

“I-I can’t stay here! I’m the b-best healer, they need me on t-the battlefield.” Sykkuno reasoned, frantic, his fingers curling around the fabric on his lap. Though he couldn’t see his eyes, the brunette could feel Corpse’s gaze on him. 

“Then you do not leave my side.” It was definitely an order rather than a choice but Sykkuno still didn’t understand why his safety was suddenly important. He was just a healer, what could he possibly do that needed protection?

“I will not turn my best healer over to the likes of you.” Felix snarled, his hands furling and unfurling at his side. “Not without an explanation.” King Corpse sighed, his gaze landing on the healer once more. Sykunno squirmed under the intense stare, unable to look at him. 

“It’s for his own protection.” He left the conversation at that, speaking to his Commander in the language unfamiliar to all of them. But just as the two undead approached, he felt a pair of hands pull him back by his shoulders. The next thing he knew, he was behind a wall of golden armor with Charlie standing off to the side. Toast and Felix’s swords were drawn and the pair had taken a fighting stance. 

“You’ll never learn your lesson, will you?” Corpse sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. He stood back this time to let his Commander do most of the dirty work. Felix wasn’t at his full strength yet, and it was evident that their undead foe had experience fighting against more than one opponent. Not to mention his weapon had been enchanted with some sort of magic that enhanced his power. 

It didn’t take long for them to get disarmed but, even in such a state, Toast still lunged for the King. The Commander kicked Felix back, grabbing onto the knight’s wrist before he could reach his target. Sykkuno flinched as Toast was slammed into the ground, the Commander digging his knee between the man's shoulder blades just as Sykkuno felt the King wrap his armored arms around his waist. The floor beneath him turned into a swirl of purples and blacks, and the next thing he knew, he was falling. 

The last thing he heard was Toast scream his name in an anguished tone like he had never heard before.

When he felt the wind around him calm, he reopened his eyes to find himself in a hallway that he didn’t recognize. It was a part of the palace, that much he could tell... but Sykkuno was certain this area had been off-limits to their party. There were several paintings lining the wall with stains or tears making it impossible to make out what had once been there. 

“I’m sorry about that.” Sykkuno screamed, whirling on the balls of his feet to face King Corpse. He hadn’t realized he was there and he was incredibly embarrassed at how much he jumped at the deep rasp of his voice. He hunched over his knees to catch his breath, thankful that the larger man hadn't hurt him yet. 

“W-Where am I?” He stuttered, taking in his surroundings more. “M-my friends. What happened to them?” He was slowly beginning to panic, his hands grasping the collar of his robe. His breathing picked up as his chest began to hurt with the lack of air. 

“Let me go, p-please... let me go back to them.” Wide brown eyes were planted on the floor, hoping the pattern tiles helped ease his mind just a little bit but it only reminded him that he just got  _ kidnapped.  _ What did he possibly want with him? What could he even give him? He wasn’t special by any means, Felix and Prince Charlie were far more important than he was. 

“Sykkuno,” the King’s voice was soft, much like the time he gifted Bimbus to him. Armored hands found their way onto his shoulders, their heavy weight grounded him to reality. “I could never hurt you.” 

He could feel a strange warmth filling his chest. Sykkuno lifted his gaze to find himself looking right into Corpse’s eyes, they glowed a faint purple. 

“H-How do you know my name?” For all the time he’s spent in Nordmøre, never once has anyone said his name around King Corpse. But instead, those eyes flickered downwards and the grip on his shoulders tightened almost painfully. 

“What happened to your neck?” He felt a finger brush, almost tenderly, against the still healing wound he got three days ago and Sykkuno pulled himself out of the King’s reach. His trembling hand covered the scab, clearing his throat as he thought of an excuse. 

“O-Oh, nothing happened! I-I was, uhm, s-sparring?” Sykkuno chuckled weakly, a shiver running up his spine as the corridor around him darkened with shadows. His robes were far too thin to keep away the cold.

“Who did this to you.” The brunette was taken aback by the dark overtone he took, purple magic flaring from his fingertips. His instinct told him to lie, to say it truly did happen by accident. But there was something almost feral within him that refuted the plan. That begged him to tell him the truth.

“C-Charlie.” And then the man was stalking past him, the shadows following him as he went. Sykkuno could practically see the murderous intent in his steps. Without thinking he lunged forward, wrapping his arms around the man's waist to halt his movement. 

“W-Wait, Corpse! Please... don’t hurt him.” Sykkuno whispered into the soft fabric of Corpse’s navy blue cape, hoping against hope that it would be enough and… it was. He stared, amazed, as the shadows slowly retracted back into the mage. Nothing was said between them and for a while, they just stood in the hallway like that until, eventually, Corpse pulled himself free of his embrace. 

“Follow me.” And Sykkuno did, their footsteps echoing off the empty stone walls around them. Outside the windows, a roaring blizzard raged, making the situation all the more ominous. There were so many things he wanted to know but asking the questions would be a fruitless effort. 

They came to a set of red doors that opened to reveal what he immediately recognized to be the King’s quarters. The room was large but incredibly bare, the lack of decorations making the room feel unwelcoming. The duvet was black and to him, it looked as if it hadn’t been used in a while. On the far wall, there was a window that led out onto the balcony... though he couldn’t imagine anyone spending much time there with the weather of Nordmøre. 

“You will be staying in my chambers,” Corpse’s hand came to rest on the small of his back and though he was severely constricting Sykkuno’s movements within the palace, the physical contact was enough to make him feel oddly calm. “You are not to go anywhere without me. Do you understand?” 

Sykkuno nodded, silently making his way over to the bed. Corpse hadn’t moved from his position by the door and the atmosphere was all but awkward. Soon enough, the man opened the door once more before addressing him. 

“I will be back.” And then he was gone, leaving Sykkuno alone with his thoughts. Rationally, he realized he should be upset, that he should be mad at Corpse for kidnapping him. He didn’t know what had happened to his friends, nor could he even understand why he had been trapped here. He should be mad… he probably should have attacked Corpse, even if he knew it was a fruitless endeavor… but… The image of Corpse getting so worked up over the scar on his neck had been burned into his mind, and it made his heart flutter in a way it shouldn’t. He just couldn’t get upset, no matter how illogical it felt.

Corpse had asked him to stay put, but that was one order he couldn’t bring himself to follow. There had to be something he could do. He went digging through the King’s closets, finding a thick jacket to borrow. It was big enough to engulf his body whole. Sykkuno struggled with the window for a moment before figuring out how to open it, peering over the railing to see how far the drop was. It was about two stories but the outside of the palace to his left was covered in vines. It should be enough to let him sneak back in. 

From there, he relied on his memory. He headed towards the side of the palace, carefully avoiding the guards that were posted outside, but once he got to the stables his mind no longer supplied him with directions on where to go. The wind picked up and Sykkuno pulled the coat as close to his body as humanly possible. He really didn’t want to go back to the palace quite yet but at the same time, it’s not like he could stand in the freezing snow all night. Something warm brushed up against his side and Sykkuno could barely make out the familiar white fur. 

“Bimbus!” He giggled, crouching down to give the dire wolf a hug around its muzzle. “Can you help me?” The wind kicked up some more snow and Bimbus gently took his wrist between its canines, the animal trotting through the winter drifts with ease. He led him to the hill he was looking for, the one where Michael’s laboratory rested at the bottom. The stone stairs were completely covered so, with the help of his wolf companion, he made it to the front door with very little issues. 

Just as he expected, there was no answer when he knocked so the brunette invited himself inside. There was a fire burning to warm up the place and after commanding Bimbus to wait outside, he headed back to where the kitchen was located. Just like he saw Corpse do, he kicked the carpet underneath the table back to reveal the trap door leading to the basement. With a heave, he pulled the piece of wood up by the handle attached to it. The squeal of the hinges should be enough to alert the owner of the house that someone was there. 

He spotted Michael at the desk and... he wasn’t kidding when he said the place was trashed. One of the wooden shelves was destroyed from what he assumed had Toast’s body colliding forcefully with it during the heat of the battle. Half of the vials were missing, most likely destroyed at some point, and the railing of the wooden stairs had splintered. 

“Um...Michael?” The scientist looked up from whatever he was working on, pulling the goggles off of his face so Sykkuno could see him better. He capped the test tube before walking over to where the healer stood. 

“Can I help you?” He was weary, and Sykkuno figured that was fair as they didn’t know each other at all. Quite frankly, the brunette wasn’t sure what made him come here of all places. Perhaps it was what Michael had said to them in the infirmary. Maybe, he was hoping the scientist would know something. 

“I… I don’t know what to think anymore.” He muttered, his eyes tracing the cracks in the stone on the floor. Nothing was said, the bubbling of whatever chemicals he had been messing with filled the otherwise empty room. The hand on his arm pulled him from his thoughts, looking up to meet a smiling Michael. 

“Let me make you some tea.” The healer followed Michael up the stairs, taking a seat at the table as the other man began the process of making tea. He filled the steel kettle with water, letting it sit over an open flame to heat the liquid up. Then, he took a little bag filled with tea leaves and set that in a cup. Once the kettle began to screech, he poured the water into the glass. He handed the tea to Sykkuno who took it gratefully and allowed it to soak for a couple of minutes. 

“So, what are you so confused about?” Michael asked after a bit, sliding a spoon across to the table to allow him to mix in some sugar. Sykkuno didn’t quite know where to start, watching the whirlpool form in his cup as he stirred. Once the sweetness was to his liking, he finally had an idea of what he wanted to say. 

“I’ve always thought of the undead as evil, ruthless beings. And out of them all, their King was the worst. I want to desperately hold onto that, for the sake of my friends but…” The steam from the tea helped calm his nerves just enough for him to not back out of the conversation. “King Corpse has been nothing but kind to  _ me _ .” 

At some point during the conversation, Michael had gotten up to make himself a cup of tea as well. Right now, he was standing by the kettle silently. There was a small frown on his face and after a minute of playing with the teabag, he finally sighed. 

“5 years ago, I was married to an incredible woman. Her name is Lily and I love her more than anything **.** But when the Dark One attacked Dominion, even though it failed, he still managed to get a hold of a few soldiers and denizens. Amongst the ones that were forced to serve him was my wife.” He found his seat across Sykkuno once more, regarding him carefully. Sykkuno wasn’t quite sure what to say, he hadn’t lost anyone he loved to the Dark One and he couldn’t possibly imagine how painful that would be. 

“I started traveling after that because I couldn’t stand living in the home I once shared with her. And it just so happened, somewhere outside of the border of Lawan, she found me. She was just like I remembered, the only difference was her complexion and her eyes. But it was her.” His smile was strained, and Sykkuno caught onto the way his eyes glistened in the light. The kettle began to squeal and the scientist rose to finish making his drink. 

“She told me about Nordmøre and about Corpse who saved her. She asked me if I would come with her and of course, I agreed. But like you, I had this bad idea about the kind of being Corpse was.” Soon enough, he was back at the table. 

“When I met him, he was nothing but understanding and kind. He offered me a place to stay in Nordmøre without asking for anything in return.” Sykkuno only now noticed the shake in Michael’s shoulders and the cry that left his lips broke his heart. So, the healer made his way around the table to rub his back in a manner he hoped was comforting. 

“He…” The scientist choked, meeting Sykkuno’s brown eyes with his own watery ones. “Corpse gave me my wife back, Sykkuno.” Michael sobbed, accepting the hug the other man offered him. They sat there for several minutes, Sykkuno doing his best to cheer up the crying man in his arms. While this conversation hadn’t turned out how he anticipated, it did answer one of the biggest questions he had. 

There’s so much more to Corpse than anyone really knew. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment with your theories on what's going on! I love to see what you guys think :D


	4. Courtship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! I am so sorry about not updating this for a while, my computer was not working and it was absolutely torture not being able to write. During that time, I planned out the rest of this story and set a max chapter! But I'm back and I hope you all enjoy it. Please be mindful of the rating change from Mature to Explicit, that's thanks to the beginning of this chapter. If you are not comfortable with NSFW, skip to 'By the time he made it down for breakfast,' 
> 
> Thank you to Mollyroll for being my beta and this chapter is dedicated to LifeofRoseAngel! Hope it's what you've been waiting for, Life <3

Sykkuno hadn’t expected his day to end like this. When he woke up, he went about the same routine he had had ever since he entered Nordmøre. Breakfast with his friends and the King, any war preparations they needed to make, trying to glean as much information as they could, lunch, the time allotted to explore the palace grounds under the supervision of the Commander, dinner, and then retire to rest. However, the last bit had changed with being essentially forced to sleep in King Corpse’s bed chambers. The first night had been fine, nothing out of the ordinary. 

However, this was not one of those nights. 

He should’ve noticed the signs when King Corpse followed him into the bedroom far closer than usual, and it definitely raised some red flags when he was taken by the waist and pushed into the bed. The scent of burning wood invaded his nostrils and the close proximity sent blood below his belt where it most certainly did not belong. 

And then, there were lips on his neck, licking and sucking at the spot Corpse seemed to find instantly. Sykkuno had never been touched so... _ intimately  _ before and the sensation was quickly becoming too much for him. Cold hands graced the skin of his sides beneath the shirt he wore and the brunette regretted not wearing his suit of armor today. In fact, none of them had as it was clear that was no point. The King himself had only kept his helmet on but must have taken it off at some point before entering his chambers. 

“C-Corpse-” Sykkuno sucked in a breath when he felt teeth sink into the skin of his collarbone and his pants became  _ uncomfortably  _ tight. Those hands only traveled upwards, pushing the fabric of his shirt up with them. The King shifted, straddling his lap, and ever so briefly, he felt the brush of their erections. 

“Tell me to stop, Sykkuno.” The deep rumble vibrated throughout his chest and Sykkuno found that he couldn’t. That he wanted Corpse to continue and explore every last inch of his body. And when he didn’t answer, the other man took that as his cue to keep going. Before he knew it, he was shirtless and those warm lips were on his neck once more. 

Delicately, he brought his fingers up to tangle into strands of straight, inky black hair that was unbelievably soft. He felt something pinch one of his nipples and he arched his back in surprised pleasure, tugging the hair in a manner that elicited a groan from the man above him. The heat in the pit of his stomach intensified at such a sound and soon, those lips left a trail along his chest until they came to nip at his areola. 

He earned a hearty chuckle for the moan he couldn’t keep back and a palm was soon kneading into his erection. Sykkuno’s brain quickly became fried at the multiple, intense signals being sent throughout his body and his eyes fluttered shut with pleasure. He felt those fingers slide underneath his waistband, pulling them down his legs until they pooled around his ankles. 

“Mm, you’re so  _ nasty  _ Sykkuno.” Corpse breathed into his ear as a single finger slid up his shaft. Sykkuno whimpered, opening his eyes to meet the heavy gaze of the King’s faintly glowing eyes. He couldn’t make out the rest of his face, a shadowy haze falling over every other feature. Sykkuno assumed it was his magic at work to prevent the brunette from seeing what he truly looked like. 

“Just relax and let me please you.” Sykkuno found himself doing just as he was told, moaning when Corpse took his erection in his fist. His motions were slow, meticulous as he began working the healer until he came undone. This was a sensation he’s thought of many times before, but none of his inquiries felt as good compared to the real deal. Carefully, the other man traveled down his body until Sykkuno could see his face between his thighs, and when he felt the tip of a tongue leave a wet trail up his shaft, he nearly lost it right then and there. 

Sykkuno moaned, his fingers never leaving Corpse’s hair as his tip was taken in that hot mouth. His tongue played with the slit as he continued to pump, the brunette finding it harder and harder to keep himself from coming. He wanted Corpse to keep going, he wanted Corpse to play with him as much as he wanted, and more than anything, he wanted to feel Corpse inside him. But just as he was about to reach his climax, the King pulled back completely, leaving Sykkuno unsatisfied. Just as he was about to complain, his thighs were being lifted to rest over Corpse’s shoulder, the man’s own throbbing erection placed at his entrance. 

“Tell me what you want, Sykkuno.” Something dark took over Corpse’s voice, causing an involuntary shiver to run down his spine. Blunt nails dug into the skin of his ass cheeks and anticipation of what's to come excited the healer more than anything. 

“Y-Yes, please Corpse. I-I need you…” He whined, throwing his head back once felt the very subtle press of Corpse’s tip into his hole. His hands grabbed at his hip, giving him one last growl before his mind succumbed to the fog of pleasure. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Sykkuno?” The brunette’s eyes snapped open, sitting up in an instant and almost cracking heads with the person above him. His heart was racing and he noticed with a blush at how  _ tight  _ his pajama pants felt. He pulled the comforter up to his shoulders, hoping it’ll cause extra space to cover his morning wood before finally meeting the eyes of the person who woke him up. 

And to his horror, it was King Corpse. His mind flashed back to the dream, to how his hands felt exploring his body, and Sykkuno nearly exploded right then and there. Despite his embarrassment at the situation he found himself in, his erection would not go down and he needed more than anything for Corpse to just leave him alone for a couple of minutes  or to help him rectify his little issue. 

“I’m sorry for waking you but it’s nearly time for breakfast.” Even the soft way he spoke was a reminder of what his mind conjured up while he was asleep. His grasp tightened around the sheets, painfully aware of how hot his face felt against the crisp, cold air of the morning. 

“I-I’ll be down in a second.” Sykkuno cleared his throat, watching Corpse hesitate ever so slightly before finally making his exit. The brunette released the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, flopping back into the bed only to be overwhelmed with the earthy smile of a roaring campfire.  _ Corpse’s scent.  _

Sykkuno groaned, rolling onto his side as he realized he wouldn’t be able to leave bed for a while. Tentatively, his hands brought the pillow up to rest over his nose, inhaling the intoxicating perfumes that were leftover. As he closed his eyes, those images refused to leave his brain, and almost instinctively, his arm slid down to touch the tip of his member. Today was going to be a long,  _ hard  _ day. 

By the time he made it down for breakfast, almost everyone was done with their meal. That meant that all eyes were on him and for the love of everything that was holy, he could  _ not  _ get the blush he’s had since morning to disappear. He was so ashamed that he couldn’t even look at his friends in the eyes. Toast could basically read him like an open book and he was the  _ last  _ person he wanted to know about his little...dream. 

Truthfully, Sykkuno didn’t have much of an appetite that morning and only managed to consume a few bites of bread. No one said anything of it and once Prince Charlie was done with his meal, the three were escorted out by a set of guards. They were to help Rae create specialized armor for their steeds and Toast offered to take over Sykkuno’s customizations as he was forbidden to leave Corpse’s side. 

He really wished he could at least have  _ one  _ of his friends accompany him. It wasn’t that he felt unsafe around King Corpse, quite the opposite actually, but having Toast or Felix would allow him to distract his mind from other  _ intrusive _ thoughts. And the way he trailed behind the other man now, his navy blue cape swaying behind him with each step, made him think about those hands that had been all over him. It had felt so  _ real  _ and it was  _ all  _ his mind would supply. 

“There’s something I want to show you.” Corpse’s sultry voice made him blush all over again, incredibly thankful that he hadn’t decided to look back at the healer. Sykkuno didn’t say anything in response and chose to stare at the black rose pattern painted on the walls in this particular part of the hallway. After several other turns and down a few flights of stairs, they reached a set of iron double doors that Corpse heaved open. It revealed what Sykkuno knew to be a blacksmith’s area. 

Several furnaces lined one side of the room, making the enclosed space hotter than the rest of the palace, and there was a good portion of blacksmiths and welders working to shape metals into usable objects. Corpse led them to one particular station tucked into the corner of the room. There was a man hammering away at a piece of metal that was beginning to take the shape of a sword, his front covered in a leather apron. He wore some kind of mask and Sykkuno assumed it was to protect himself from the scalding hot material he was working with. 

“Abe,” Corpse spoke, gaining the man’s attention who stopped what he was doing to lift the mask from his face. While his body was muscular, his expression was rather calm and welcoming. Like most everyone who lives in Nordmøre, his skin was deathly pale, and held glowing blue eyes. His hair was black and stuck to his forehead from the heat, a pair of spectacles sitting atop his nose, “how is your assignment coming along?”

“You’ll be pleased to know I am done, Your Highness.” Abe smiled, moving around the table to a set of armor resting in front of some kind of unlit forge. Corpse thanked the blacksmith, motioning for Sykkuno to get closer. And he did, albeit he was blushing furiously at the close proximity. The armor itself was gold with white accents, the head of a dire wolf engraved on one shoulder. Folded neatly by the chest piece was a forest green cape. 

His attention was drawn to Corpse once more the King moved to stand in front of the forge. He lifted a hand, deep purple magic swirling in his palm like shadowy whisps. Then, he aimed it at two openings on the machine and only then did Sykkuno realize the forge took the shape of a dragon’s head. As soon as his magic took its place in the eyes of this fake beast, the contraption roared to life. Purple fire raged in its mouth and the brunette took an instinctive step behind Corpse. The King reached over to the table, grabbing what looked like a clear crystal, and began to chant in an unfamiliar language. 

The crystal moved on its own, hovering over the flames. As Corpse’s sermon came to a close, the stone appeared to absorb the fire into its core, leaving it a beautiful shade of violet. Carefully, Corpse transferred it from the now inactive forge to the engraving of the dire wolf on the shoulder piece. There was a slot where the animal’s heart would be that was the perfect size for the crystal to fit. 

“I had this set created for you. What you have now won’t do in battle.” Corpse’s voice was unbelievably soft and Sykkuno found himself staring at the stunning armor once more. There was no way he could accept this, it appeared to be made from some of the finest metals one could find. Not to mention gold in itself was expensive as is. 

“T-There’s no possible way-” Sykkuno was cut off with a dismissive wave of Corpse’s hand, the man handing him the chest piece instead. The brunette hesitated before eventually taking the offering into his own hands. It was heavy but not unbearably so and he could really appreciate the detail that went into creating it. His fingers lightly grazed over the crystal, a shiver running up his spine at the shock it sent throughout his body. 

“What is this?” Sykkuno inquired, watching in awe as the magic swirling within the stone much like the clouds of a storm. 

“That is a rune. Whenever you find yourself in trouble, it will activate as a defense mechanism.” Corpse explained, softly placing a hand on the small of his back as he led him to a door located near the exit. The room was empty except for a single mirror and a wooden bench which Corpse placed the other pieces of the armor on. 

“Try it on, I’ll wait outside.” And with that, he was left alone. The sounds of hammers against metal were muffled and the area where King Corpse touched his back felt as if it were on fire. 

Slowly, Sykkuno began to strip down to his just undergarments, and the process of equipping his new armor started. It was tedious but after years of doing this, he became a master at the skill. He found himself standing in front of the mirror, stunned at how  _ regal  _ he appeared. His favorite part was the forest green cape, a nice contrast to the gold and white of the metal. 

Sykkuno could’ve sworn Corpse’s eyes lingered on him for longer than usual but he didn’t have much time to dwell on the fact because he was being led out of the blacksmith's area and through the palace to a place where he felt more familiar. 

“Sykkuno…” The King slowed his pace to allow the brunette to catch up. They were walking side by side, “That rune won’t be able to be active at any point. It requires at least an hour to recharge.” They stopped now, the taller male turning so he faced Sykkuno completely. 

“Promise me you’ll be careful.” The sincerity in his bass-like voice threw Sykkuno for a loop. All of his preconceived notions about the noble were all wrong, and he’s known that for a few days now, but he still couldn’t understand  _ why  _ he cared about him so much. 

Why would he gift him such power when he should be considered the enemy? 

“I will promise that only if you give my friends a rune too.” The words left his mouth without thought. The air became thick with tension and King Corpse’s body stilled completely. 

“I-I don’t know what I’d d-do without them. P-Please.” Sykkuno added, praying that this would convince Corpse instead of upset him. There were a few more beats of silence and then: 

“Fine.” It was most certainly reluctant but it was a start. They resumed their walk without exchanging any more words until they arrived at the doors leading to behind the castle. Sykkuno has never been in the gardens but as he expected them to be, the flowers that once grew there were withered. 

Past the maze of thorny bushes stood a stone building with four guards posted around it. There was no solute as King Corpse approached, Sykkuno made a mental note to ask why that was later, and the door was pulled open for them. It was a weaponry. 

“You know your  _ friends  _ best.” There was venom to his words that the healer chose to ignore, instead opting to travel further inside to examine the wide assortment of blades, axes, and crossbows stored here. He didn’t know much about weapons but he did know what his friends preferred (except for Prince Charlie but he could make an educated guess). 

Felix was able to use most weapons, though he leaned more towards wielding dual swords. This would require smaller blades than a normal sword but bigger than a dagger. He eventually found a set of blades with a hilt resembling that of a Phoenix. 

For Toast, he found a serrated sword with what appeared to be a sphinx curling around the handle. Next to it was a shield with the head of a lion that Sykkuno knew his friend would like. He was always one who was fascinated by the detail found on certain pieces of equipment. 

Prince Charlie was a little harder as he wasn’t quite sure what the man would like. He used regular swords as far as he could tell but he also wasn’t the type of man to go for anything too fancy. So, he settled on a simple blade with a silver hilt resembling the head of a horse. 

Just when he was about to report back to King Corpse, the point of an axe caught his eye. Sykkuno knelt down, running his fingers over the engraving of a wolf on the flat surface of the axe. Its handle was gold and matched all too well with his new armor. But he couldn’t possibly take any more than what he was given. He stood up to leave, nearly colliding with Corpse in the process. 

“It is yours if you want it.” Sykunno’s grip on the other weapons tightened, his gaze dropping back to the axe. He didn’t say anything as Corpse hoisted the object onto his shoulder. There was something he’s been dying to ask, and only then did he get the courage to. 

“Why are you so nice to me? What makes me so special that I get this kind of treatment from you?” The pair stared each other down for what felt like forever until the brunette no longer could hold his gaze. 

“Come, let’s find the others.” Sykkuno’s shoulders slumped, following behind the royal with a frown on his lips. He should’ve expected that answer but it only made the gnawing at his chest worse. Why wouldn’t he just tell him? 

They found his friends and the Commander at the stables with Rae. Felix and Charlie were brushing out the mane of their steeds, carefully maneuvering around the armor. Toast was talking to Rae about something he could not hear but his attention was drawn to Sykkuno as the pair neared. The brunette felt uncomfortable under Toast’s inquisitive gaze, rubbing nervously at the nape of his neck. 

Sykkuno wasn’t stupid; he knew why he was getting such looks from his friend. He  _ was  _ wearing a set of armor that was clearly brand new with the insignia of a dire wolf on one shoulder. The kind of wear that a royal would garner. And Sykkuno was most certainly not a royal. 

Toast made his way over to them with a scowl on his face, glaring daggers at the King once they were face to face. Sykkuno tensed up, biting his lip as the two just stared at each other, no one making a move for the longest time. Until Toast’s hand shot forward to point an accusing finger at Corpse. 

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed what you’ve been doing.” The knight spat, a hand coming to the hilt of his sword but not drawing it quite yet. Corpse sighed, pushing his way past Toast to meet up with the Commander and Rae. Sykkuno began to follow but Toast stopped him in his steps with an arm across his chest. The King turned around slowly, licks of shadows flaring from his fingertips. 

“Gifting another armor is an act of courtship.” Sykkuno spluttered at the statement, his hand shooting up to cover the blush forming on his cheeks. Corpse advantaged towards Toast, the magic never receding and only intensified when he was right in front of the knight. King Corpse had a few inches on Toast with broader shoulders but that didn’t scare his friend one bit. 

“You don’t know the traditions in my kingdom.” Corpse shot back, only earning a smirk from Toast. He cleared his throat, wiping off nonexistent dust from his shoulder to appear nonchalant. 

“Don’t play with me. Nordmøre is a melting pot. Your traditions are a mix of all seven kingdoms.” Toast cocked an eyebrow, one of his hands sliding around to rest on Sykkuno’s shoulder. The brunette didn’t miss the way Corpse growled at the motion. 

“Get your  _ filthy  _ hands off of him.” Corpse snarled, inky tendrils curling around his arms. Toast drew his sword as he pushed Sykkuno back with each step the King took. Images of that magic tightening around Felix’s neck flashed through his mind and without thinking, the healer placed himself between Corpse and Toast. 

“Stop it you two!” Sykkuno relaxed when the magic withdrew back to its source. He had to urge Toast a little more before he sheathed his blade. The brunette exhaled, turning to face his lifelong friend with a smile. “Nothing is happening between King Corpse and me. He just...wants me to be safe. And look, he brought you guys weapons too!” The air between them was tense and Sykkuno’s expression faltered the longer the silence went on. 

Corpse snatched the weapons hanging from his waist, shoving them into Toast’s arms before storming off. Sykkuno stared after him, wanting nothing more than to stop Corpse in his movements. But before he could, Toast grabbed hold of his wrist and forced him to meet his eye. 

“Are you okay, Sy? Did  _ he  _ do anything to you? Did he take advantage of you?” Toast’s hand was caressing his cheek but the only thing he could think about was his dream. He could still feel the phantom touch of his hands, the smell of his intoxicating incense, and most vibrantly, he remembered the feeling of his strong body pressing him into the bed. He tore his eyes away from Toast’s hoping to hide the blush creeping onto his face. 

“N-Nothing happened. I-I just spent the night in his chambers and-” 

“WHAT?” Sykkuno jumped, staring at an angry Toast with wide eyes. Toast’s grip got tight enough to hurt, but Sykkuno didn’t dare pull his wrist away, even if he was sure to leave bruises. 

Toast hadn’t noticed Sykkuno wince. He was glaring at the back of Corpse’s cape, who was now talking to Rae. The penny dropped and Sykkuno understood what had happened. His cheeks flushed in embarrassment, and he was opening his mouth to rectify his previous words before a screech filled the air and cut off all chatter. 

“Valkyrie!” Rae cheered, rushing to the large bird that had just perched itself on a log bench. Its feathers were a brilliant crimson that faded into orange, the tips of its wing feathers set ablaze. It was much larger than a person and as the woman approached, it cooed affectionately and accepted the pets she offered. “What have you found for us, girl?” 

The phoenix squawked, spreading its wings to take to the sky once more. Its long tail feathers trailed behind her as she puffed up her chest, violet and magenta flames shooting from her mouth. In the smoke, Sykkuno could make out the outline of a kingdom burning down. 

“Dominion. The Dark One is heading for Dominion.” Prince Charlie grabbed the reins of his horse, mounting it in one swift motion. This was the sign they were waiting for and finally, it was time for them to leave the safety of Nordmøre. King Corpse gave the orders and soon enough, he and Felix led the charge to Dominion. 

This war was  _ finally  _ going to end. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh, stuff is going down! I hope you're all ready :D


	5. War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm so sorry for being away for so long. If you haven't seen my poll post, I asked which story I should focus on finishing first: Hija Mia or Frozen Heart. Hija Mia won so what I'm gonna do is set this story on the back burner until I complete it OR am almost done with it. I love this story and I couldn't imagine discontinuing it so don't worry about that! It just might be a while till the next update. For now, I wanted to bless you guys with one, super long chapter before then. This is 8500 words! I hope you all enjoy <3
> 
> As for Hija Mia, I don't know when the next update will be. I'm a little swamped with college and my mental health isn't...the best right now. I'm trying to get through it, just bear with me. 
> 
> Thank you to Mollyroll for being my beta as always, you're amazing and I truly couldn't do this without you <3

Out of all the locations in the seven kingdoms, Dominion was the furthest away from Nordmøre. By horseback, it would take about two weeks just to reach the border of their land, and another three days to reach the palace grounds. This was the largest of the seven kingdoms as much of their land was desolate, uninhabited.

They ended up having to travel by ship, estimating their arrival in a week’s time. King Corpse had plenty of ships allotting the army enough room to store the steeds and wolves fighting alongside them as well as any extra weapons, armor, and medical supplies they would need. Prince Charlie had informed them of a secluded dock on the shores of his kingdom, only an hour’s ride away from the center hub. This would allow them some semblance of security to ambush the Dark One and his army of cadavers. 

Strict orders were in place for the brunette to stay within close proximity of Corpse, though realistically speaking there wasn't anywhere he could sneak off to. Sykkuno spent most of that week preparing in the part of the ship designated for the medics and all of their equipment. The makeshift infirmary had been set up in King’s personal ship and was currently occupied by Sykkuno and two undead medics he didn’t recognize. They mostly kept their distance, watching him from afar up until he reached a section of the supplies filled with herbs and ointments he wasn’t familiar with. 

Some had strong, pungent senses, others were pleasant and sweet. Sykkuno assumed they were native to Nordmøre for they certainly weren’t found in Bremen or the trade routes linking the seven kingdoms. He was running his fingers along the cool surface of a plant he could only describe as a cactus without the usual long spines. It was smooth and held the same shape as a fern leaf. 

“Poki found this cactus while wandering the lands. She said she found a kingdom hidden within a sea of sand that used the gel within the leaves to heal themselves.” Sykkuno turned to face the lich walking towards him. He was sitting on the floor, several of the herbs displayed in front of him as he turned them over in his hands. 

As the days passed, he no longer felt tense around them, having grown used to their presence. He found he even welcomed her explanation as she crouched down to pick up a jar filled with a clear gel. “The people there called it the ‘plant of immortality’ and Poki brought back enough for us to not only test its healing capabilities but to also grow our own.” She turned to him with a small giggle, handing him the jar so he could examine its contents. 

“Of course, it doesn’t actually grant immortality. But it is great to apply to dressing when wrapping a wound. Helps it heal faster, makes it less painful,  _ and  _ wards off infection. We call it vera.” Sykkuno didn’t dare waste any of the gel so he only opened the lid to observe the sunlight glistening off its surface through the windows of the ship. He looked forward to seeing how they used it, if they needed to slather the wounds with a lot or only a small bit of it. Carefully, he set the vera leaf and jar back to where they had been taken from and turned to meet her gaze once more. She smiled, sticking out a hand to him.

“My name is Lily, nice to meet you!” Her voice was high-pitched, short dark brown hair barely reaching her shoulders. She was clad in a set of pink and silver armor, her status as a medic revealed by the insignia of two snakes etched into her breastplate. He shook her hand, his other coming up to cover a smile. “Ask me about any of the remedies you don’t know, I’ll be happy to tell you about them!” She chirped when he released her hold and he couldn’t help the excitement that bubbled in his chest at the offer. So, he turned back to face what he had taken out, deciding to just start from one side and make his way over to the other. 

“What is this?” He gestured to a basket filled with yellowish-orange powder as well as what appeared to be a root he found with it. Lily took a seat next to him, leaning over slightly so she could get a better view of it. 

“Oh! That’s turmeric powder.” And thus Lily started teaching him the uses of each exotic plant, going into great detail of what kind of situations you would use them in, or how to apply them onto wounds if needed. She was quite knowledgeable and he learned that she held the title of Lead Medic for the army, clearly living up to it in Sykkuno’s eyes. 

After an hour had passed, the pair found themselves alone in the room and Lily sat down on one of the hammocks, a faint smile on her lips as she took in the human before her. He had just finished putting away everything as he had found it, perching atop one of the crates across from where she was. Sykkuno was just about to thank her for her help in explaining the mysterious plants to her but it seemed she had other plans.

“So...” Sykkuno’s skin prickled from the teasing tone of her voice. “I’ve heard that you’ve been staying in the King’s chambers as of late. Both on land and sea.” Her statement caught him completely off guard, and Sykkuno focused all too hard on his breathing to not choke on air. Unfortunately, he couldn’t stop the blush burning the tips of his ears, and judging by Lily’s laugh, she noticed too. 

“H-He...I-I...U-Um-” Sykkuno didn’t understand  _ why  _ he was so embarrassed about it right now. He didn’t stutter nearly as much when Toast questioned him about it, so why her? Maybe it was because she was, for the most part, a stranger. Which meant that perhaps other undead knew. And that the rumor had spread throughout Nordmøre. Yeah, that was it. 

“Sorry, sorry.” She giggled, pushing her hair behind her ear, “Michael told me about you and I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to tease you.” Sykkuno covered a smile with his hand as his nerves finally calmed down. This interaction reminded him of the many back home. It would be their little group now, only Charlie wasn’t there and Jack was. Endless teasing and shenanigans ensued and Sykkuno found that he rather missed those times. 

But at the same time, he felt oddly...at peace in the presence of King Corpse. Sykkuno couldn’t quite explain it. When he first arrived in Nordmøre, he was this sort of enigma that everyone was taught to fear. That he was this cold and unfeeling creature who was only out to conquer the lands after the Dark One was destroyed. Because to them, why would something with such  _ power  _ be humble and kind? 

Yet, Corpse has been nothing but kind to him. While it is true that he and Felix have been at each other’s throats the entire duration of this alliance, never once did the brunette feel unsafe when he was by himself with the undead king. In fact...he felt safer with him than his own friends. And Sykkuno didn’t understand  _ why. _

“O-Oh. You’re Michael’s w-wife, right?” Deciding that now wasn’t the best time to sift through his internal struggles, he gave the woman his undivided attention once more. A gentle smile graced her lips and those mocha eyes latched onto the golden band around her finger. Lily had that expression that newly wedded couples wore and Sykkuno couldn’t help but feel a little envious. He’s wanted to have that special connection with someone but he’s quickly come to learn that women just...aren’t into him. 

“Yeah…” The smile disappeared and she wrapped those delicate arms around herself, “I was so terrified to face him.” It came out as a whisper but Sykkuno managed to hear what she said. Lily wasn’t looking at him, rather staring straight into the middle distance. Initially, he wasn’t going to say anything but it was clear she wasn’t going to delve into what she meant if not prompted. And while Sykkuno wasn’t one to pry, he wanted to know more about their story. 

“How come? I mean, he loves you so much.” Lily sighed at that, laying back on the hammock so he couldn’t see her face. She didn’t respond for a long time and the brunette was almost convinced that she had fallen asleep. But, he heard the first sniffle and guilt began to bubble in his chest. 

“L-Look at me. I’m a monster,” Lily’s voice cracked, fingernails digging into the skin of her arm, “everyone believes that the undead is some mindless creatures. That we’re something to be afraid of. Weren’t you?” She finally sat up once again and Sykkuno recognized the quivering of her bottom lip, the way her chest rose and fell unsteadily, and the shaky intakes of air. It may be physically impossible for an undead to shed tears but that didn’t erase the fact she still had human emotions. 

“Truthfully? Yes.” She averted her gaze, her shoulders beginning to shake all over again. Sykkuno took a deep breath and rose from his seat on the crates, offering a warm smile to Lily as he placed an arm on her shoulder. “But Corpse has shown me how  _ wrong  _ all those stories were. And Michael...he loves you so, so much. Even if you looked like a decomposing body, he would still follow you to the ends of the Earth.” 

Lily smiled, scooting over on the hammock to give him room. He accepted the silent invitation and for a few moments, they sat there enjoying the friendly atmosphere that had manifested between them over the course of an hour. Neither spoke as Lily worked on calming herself down and it was only when she had composure did she speak again. 

“To be honest... when Corpse found me I was basically a cadaver. I was under the control of the Dark One and I just...couldn’t do anything for myself. Not to mention, I was completely unrecognizable.” The brunette caught onto the nervous fingers twisting at the golden ring Lily had. For the longest time, curiosity burned at the back of his mind since arriving in Nordmøre. He’s wanted to ask someone how Corpse’s magic actually works but there hasn’t been an undead he’s met that would be willing to answer. And asking the man himself was out of the question. As of right now, there was no better person than Lily. 

“U-Um, actually...I’ve been wondering. H-How does Corpse release you? Or b-break the spell.” Lily scrunched her nose, eyebrows furrowing together as the gears turned in her head. Sykkuno tried to look like her response didn’t matter but it most certainly did and it probably showed. 

“Hmmm...honestly, I have no idea. I remember being under the Dark One’s control as this sort of...haze. Like, I was still conscious and I had thoughts but my body moved on its own. But then, we were sent to ambush Corpse and obviously, it was a failed attempt but all of a sudden, the shadowy tendrils gripping my mind were gone.” Sykkuno frowned at that, deep in his own thoughts as she finished her tale. 

“I looked like a human again, well, mostly anyway, and Corpse offered me a place in his kingdom. But he made it clear that I would have no obligation to serve him if I accepted nor did I have to come at all. Most surprisingly, he wasn’t against me asking Michael to come with me.” Lily smiled, giving his shoulder a comforting squeeze before retiring for the night. Sykkuno watched her disappear up the stairs, his fingers dancing across the fabric of the hammock to ease his anxiety. What he was anxious about, he wasn’t sure but he couldn’t seem to shake the feeling of dread that had snaked its way into his chest the moment he stepped foot onto the ship. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“As long as we stay within the oasis, we should be obstructed from view for those within the palace grounds.” A group of them were huddled in the King’s naval office, a map of Dominion spread out across his desk. Corpse was seated in the middle, King Felix and Toast on either side of him. The Commander was standing at ease towards the front while Rae stared out of the window, very bored. Sykkuno wasn’t quite sure what he was doing there but Corpse had demanded the brunette stay by his side. This included during dreary, planning committees. 

While Sykkuno was smart in his own right, his skillset didn’t include plotting strategies to ambush a highly dangerous being threatening death upon every citizen of the seven kingdoms. So really, he saw no purpose in his attendance of this meeting but he’s since gotten used to following King Corpse everywhere he went. And it wasn’t something that bothered him anymore. 

Charlie was currently mapping out the best ways to access the courtyard of his kingdom, providing any vital information needed to know for a cohesive plan to be formed. It didn’t take long for The Commander to offer his own suggestions, ones that Corpse deemed as important to their mission. Naturally, Felix didn’t appreciate the Nordmørians forming their strategy. As yet another argument broke out, Sykkuno found his mind drifting. 

Everyone seemed so calm and collected, acting as if they weren’t about to be dropped off in a warzone. Sykkuno desperately wished he had that demeanor but the more those thoughts muddied the back of his brain, the more nervous he felt. And sitting here, listening to them plan their attack that could end very badly only made it worse. 

“Once we enter the palace grounds here,” Corpse pointed to somewhere on the map, “We’ll split up to cover more ground. Toast will lead the group to secure the gardens, my Commander will assist until he is able to take his knights through the doors leading to the kitchen while Felix and I secure the front entrance.” Soon enough, they hashed out any last details needed before the group disbanded. 

Corpse and Sykkuno were the last left in the room, the King shuffling through several documents. The brunette noticed the way his leg bounced in the chain and to him, that was a tell-tale sign of anxiety. Of course, he was just as nervous as him, his decisions were the difference between life and death. Sykkuno couldn’t imagine the pressure Corpse was feeling. 

“U-Um…” The man looked up from his papers expectantly, “I’m going to go wash up and retire for the night...if that’s okay.” Corpse didn’t say anything and the brunette took that as his approval. Slowly, he turned around to leave the room but he felt a hand brush his upper arm, the man stopping Sykkuno in his tracks. 

“Could you...come with me for a minute?” His voice was gentle and the sound made Sykkuno’s heart flutter. Quietly, he followed Corpse to the upper deck and the two leaned against the wooden railing. The sun was beginning to set and a wonderful splash of reds, blues, and pinks reflected on the ocean’s surface. It was a sight to behold and Sykkuno found himself marveling at such beauty; he didn’t know the world could be this gorgeous. 

“Sykkuno,” Corpse started, gloved hands resting gently on the wood. “This battle, it’s going to be dangerous. And I won’t always be there to make sure you're safe. Promise me you’ll be careful?” The King was facing him now and while Sykkuno couldn’t see his face, he could imagine the furrowed eyebrows dancing across his forehead. Sykkuno hesitated, picking at the splinters of the railing. Corpse placed his hands upon the brunette’s shoulders, gaining his attention once more.

“Please, I wouldn’t forgive myself if something happened to you.” The way he said it was so earnest, Sykkuno found himself getting lost in the feeling of his stomach doing flips. For the first time, the brunette really wanted to know who was behind the mask. What Corpse looked like. And most surprisingly, he wanted to know what his lips felt like against his own. 

Sykkuno’s arms were moving on his own, moving against the smooth, dark metal of Corpse’s armor. His fingers curled around the edge of the King’s helmet and his gaze drifted back to the faint, purple glow he could see through the holes of the headpiece. Corpse froze under the touch but didn’t pull away; he was trusting Sykkuno with his identity. His grip tightened around the metal, a blush creeping onto his cheeks at the thought of kissing Corpse. 

Sykkuno didn’t quite understand  _ why  _ he wanted to and the yearning left him utterly confused but...all he knew was that this is what he wanted. And he hoped Corpse felt the same. 

Before he got a chance to move further, his hands were being lowered gently by the King himself, carefully letting them fall back to his side. “You...should be getting some rest.” His voice hitched ever so slightly, a sound that didn’t fall upon deaf ears. But he was already making his way towards the bedroom chambers and Sykkuno followed helplessly behind. 

As per usual, he was led to the room assigned to him. However, as he stood in the doorway, Sykkuno couldn’t help but feel like the space was...emptier than it was before; that the cold nipped at his exposed skin in a way that left him feeling uneasy. The brunette turned to face Corpse who hadn’t moved from his spot in the hallway. 

“I-I...Is it okay if I-I sleep with you tonight?” His face immediately burned at the implications of his words, “I-I mean! N-Not like that,  _ oh Jesus,  _ j-just sleep, you know? I d-don’t want to be alone and-” Sykkuno buried his face in his hands, wanting nothing more than to dive into the ocean to save himself from such embarrassment. “N-Nevermind.” Before he could fully enter his room, Corpse had already taken his wrist gently between his fingers and was leading him to the King’s chambers. 

Nothing more was said once they entered, the heavy door creaking shut behind them. Sykkuno was handed nightwear and once Corpse’s back was facing him, he changed as quickly as he could. He still wasn’t quite used to his new armor but he was slowly getting there. 

He crawled into one side of the bed, waiting for the other to dip with the weight of the King but it never came. Instead, Corpse pulled one of the chairs to set it next to the bed, making himself comfortable as he pulled out a book. Sykkuno frowned, pulling the covers up to his chin. 

“You should sleep too.” He whispered but Corpse only shrugged, not moving from the chair and Sykkuno got the hint. Sighing, he turned over in the bed and shut his eyes, praying for sleep to come. But it didn’t. His mind was supplying him with images of knights falling around them, fire raging on the battlefield as screams filled his ears. 

Felix shouted his name, begging for him to help. But Sykkuno didn’t get there in time. He watched through bleary eyes as a blade tore through his friend’s heart. His body fell unceremoniously to the ground, staining the dirt red with his blood. Toast was running his way and the brunette screamed at him to stop; that it wasn’t safe. He didn’t listen and Sykkuno choked at the sight of an undead enemy ripping the knight’s throat out with its teeth. 

Shakily, he covered his hands to hold back the sobs racking his body. The Dark One was approaching him, a looming figure silhouetted by the bright sky. The vegetation around his every step withered away as his blade dragged thin lines through the dirt. But Corpse stood in front of him, raising his weapon to defend Sykkuno. But he didn’t want him to; he wanted him to save himself. He wouldn’t have another person he cared about die because of him. 

The Dark One laughed, a menacing sound that made him feel sick to his stomach. Sykkuno urged his body to stand, begging his legs to just do this one thing. But he felt rooted to the ground, unable to move in the slightest. It forced him to watch Corpse face his impending doom, cackling at him as he screamed his name. The Dark One raised his sword, bringing down towards Corpse. Sykkuno pleaded to the Gods to save them, save  _ him,  _ but they didn’t answer his prayers. The blade pierced the metal of his shoulder plates, cutting clean into the skin of Nordmøre’s king. His body was on the floor, blood seeping out of the wound and rolling towards Sykkuno-

Gentle fingers ran through Sykkuno’s soft hair, pushing away the thoughts. Blunt fingernails ran along his scalp in the most satisfying of ways and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Tension flowed out of his body with each ministration until the fogginess of sleep clutched his mind to offer him a dreamless rest. 

Those fingers were warm, washing him in a wonderful wave of peace and clarity. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sounds of heavy boots falling upon the deck of the ship was what awoke Sykkuno. Corpse was no longer in the room and from the shouting above, the brunette concluded that they had docked. With joints that ached with disuse, he armored up before leaving the King’s chambers. He had since memorized the ship’s structure and easily found the correct staircase needed to get to his destination. 

The sunlight momentarily blinded him, forcing the medic to blink away the brightness and allowing his eyes to adjust. It was all but chaos on the deck, knights running to and fro, grabbing everything they needed for the battle. He found Corpse standing with the Commander and slowly, he made his way over. The two acknowledged him with a nod before the King gave the order to rendezvous on the beach. 

A wooden ramp has since been lowered to allow the army access to the hidden beach. Rae was the first one there, each of their steeds already settled onto the sand. They were fully armored along with the dire wolves and her phoenix. Bimbus had already found his way to Sykkuno, the dire wolf now fully adorned in silver plates. 

It didn’t take long for the rest of the army to create their battle formation and they wasted no more time beginning the march to Dominion. They were able to cut a day off of travel time by docking at the secluded beach but the hard part was not getting noticed. Their only hope was to pray to the Gods that they wouldn’t be seen. Because who knows if they beat the Dark One to Dominion, more or less if they even arrived on time. 

And for a while, it was going well. Too well. Sykkuno wasn’t quite sure what to think but no matter how much he reassured himself, he couldn’t shake off this feeling of unease as they inched closer and closer to the palace. Night began to fall and darkness washed over them like a blanket. Soon enough, he could no longer ignore the sense of dread making its home in his chest. He pulled the reins on Anastasia to drift closer to Corpse, reaching an arm out to rest on his shoulder. This was the first time the king didn’t pull away from the contact, instead deciding to lean into the feeling. 

“H-Hey, maybe we should-” Sykkuno’s words were drowned out by the sound of the ground splitting apart beneath them. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, eyes wide at the sight of unholy creatures emerging from their graves. Anatasia reared up, the medic losing his grip on her reins and consequently falling off. Corpse was forced further away from him and if it hadn’t been for the Commander, Sykkuno would’ve been swallowed by the endless abyss. Lich filtered through the fissures and he was pulled away from the edge. A shaky hand unsheathed his sword though the medic found it hard to concentrate on proper stance through his panic. The groans of their enemy was far too loud in his ears and his throat began to feel thick and dry. 

Corpse was no longer in sight, nor was the rest of their group. Anxiety clutched his throat but he had to have faith they would be okay. For now, he had to make sure those he got separated with were fine. There weren't many of them, just himself, the Commander, Prince Charlie, and a handful of their army. None appeared to be injured but the biggest problem was the wave of corpses that had surrounded them. 

The Commander let out a battle cry and all hell broke out. The remaining ranks spread out to cover more ground, and the silent night was soon filled with the screeching of metal against metal and agonizing screams of those in pain. Sykkuno wasn’t much of a fighter but he was able to hold his own well enough, Prince Charlie often coming to his aid when he began to get overwhelmed. 

Despite the difference in army size, they had managed to ward off many of their attackers. The dirt had since become soaked with the blood of their fallen comrades, rotten flesh littering the once vibrant grass. The battlefield had become filled with smoke, making it hard for Sykkuno to breathe, let alone fight. And just when they thought they had once, an unholy beast arose from beyond the grave. It was like nothing Sykkuno had ever seen, easily a stagger 10ft in height. It’s stomach hung grotesquely open, innards hanging out of the gash unceremoniously. Its skin was barely kept intact by sloppy stitches and in one hand, it held a mace that still had remnants of blood and hair on it. 

“...Keep Sykkuno safe. I’ll handle this.” Sykkuno crossed his arms at that, puffing out his chest because  _ he could take care of himself, thank you very much.  _ The Commander spun the sword in his hand, dropping low into an evasive stanch as the monstrosity lifted its weapon high above its head. Just as it brought it down, the Commander leapt out of the way and swung the blade at his leg. But much to all of their surprise, it did nothing. It failed in cutting all the way through the appendage and didn’t even hinder the beast in its movements. 

With one swing of the mace, the Commander was flung several feet back. He hit the ground with a painful thud and Sykkuno watched in horror as his helmet was flung off. His attempt to check on the man was met with the beast charging towards him and Charlie. There was nothing they could do against it; neither he nor the prince possessed magic and the Commander’s attack showed that physical assaults did nothing. 

Sykkuno could only stand there, staring death in the face at that moment. This was it. He was going to die here. If only he had listened to Corpse; if only he had stayed in Nordmøre like he was asked to. But...at least he would be dying with his friends. He would be dying for a cause that he believed in. 

His eyes snapped shut, involuntary tears slipping down his cheeks as the ground shook with each step of the monster. The world around him grew hot and he could smell decomposing beast. He didn’t know how close it was but his body was tense from the anticipation. It wasn’t until a deafening roar resounded through the battles of war did he open his eyes. 

The creature’s attention was honed in on something else and slowly, Sykkuno followed its gaze until it came to rest on the Commander. Who was no longer laying down. Who was now engulfed in flames. Whose long, brown hair flowed behind him in the wind. Whose expression was stone cold. Who Sykkuno recognized as the thought-to-be-deceased Prince Dave of Northumbria. 

“I knew it…” Prince Charlie whispered and they both watched in absolute awe as Dave approached the patchwork with calculated steps. With practiced motions, the former prince evaded each attack with ease, ducking and weaving around each swing of the club. At his first defensive opening, Dave lunged forward and drove his blade into the exposed part of its belly. He set it ablaze, transferring every lick of fire to burn the beast to a crisp. And when that deed was done, he finally acknowledged the two slack-jawed men. 

“I fucking knew it.” Charlie practically growled, glaring at the man who seemed unbothered by his reaction. Silently, Dave pushed past the other man to pick up his helmet from the ground, placing it back on his head. There was a crack on the side of it but it still performed its duty well enough. 

The Northumbrian said nothing as he dove right back into battle, pulling a dazed Sykkuno behind him just as an undead swung his sword. Dave’s blade went through its chest with ease and that was the wake-up call he needed.  _ Now isn’t the time to panic, Sykkuno,  _ he told himself but the blood-curdling screams and bodies falling around him made that seem impossible. 

Sykkuno’s knees locked, rooting him to the dirt below. His knuckles turned white from the death grip on his blade but he didn’t have the strength to raise his arm. He didn’t have the ability to do anything. His eyes honed in one the pile of crimson blood staining the ground beneath a fallen knight. What was preventing him from becoming a corpse on the battlefield? How long would it take for them to fall?  _ Would any of this be worth it in the end? _

“Don’t ignore me, you goddamn prick. Why the hell didn’t you come back?” Charlie lifted his sword, shoving the weapon through a nearby zombie’s skull. Its body fell limp to the floor, a fireball shooting past the prince to consume another animation. “Everyone thought you were dead!” In the distance, the sound of a cannon going off resounded in the air. But the pair were left unfazed, continuing their deadly assault of any undead standing in their way of survival. 

“Technically, I  _ am _ dead.” Was Dave’s simple response, slicing the neck of an enemy. The two fell into a well-practiced dance, one that was perfected over many years. It was common knowledge that the two princes were childhood friends and even entered the same training at the same time. Both were strong on their own but together? Together, they were terrifying enough to shake the knees of the most dangerous foes. 

Sykkuno had only heard stories but seeing it in person was a whole other experience. 

“Dave, I fucking  _ mourned _ you. I was so hellbent on getting my revenge for you.” Charlie crouched down to avoid the blast of fire, sweeping the feet right out from under a lich. It fell on his blade and the prince rose to face Dave. Never once had Sykkuno seen Charlie’s eyes filled with such raw emotion. It was something he was so good at keeping under wraps, the medic was starting to believe that the prince was just incapable of feeling anything. “Didn't you ever think about me?"

"Of course I did. There wasn't a day that went by where I didn't reminisce about you. But...look at me, Charlie. I couldn't go back." Dave sheathed his sword and with the arrival of the surviving knights, the confession came to an end. In the distance, he could make out the sound of swords clashing. Charlie pushed past him, grumbling about how they would continue the conversation later. Dave sighed, heading in the direction the noise was coming from. 

“Come, we need to regro-” 

_ “I should’ve known better than to trust in my grunt’s abilities.”  _ The color drained from Sykkuno’s face, stumbling back behind the front lines as the Dark One emerged from the shadows. Everyone was at battle stance already, Dave’s blade engulfed in flames once more. Their enemy seemed unfazed as void tendrils swirled at the base of his feet. 

_ “Though, I suppose it’s my own fault for underestimating Corpse’s commander. I didn’t actually think you’d be willing to reveal yourself.”  _ The Dark One chuckled lowly, extending an arm out so the shadows danced at his fingertips. Something about the display screamed familiarity but Sykkuno couldn’t figure out  _ why.  _

“And that’ll be your last mistake.” Dave growled, lunging towards the undead and searing the ground with each step. A ball of shadows formed in the palm of the Dark One’s hand, crackling and morphing into a spear of some kind. With one thrust of his arm, it was flying through the air towards the Commander. But he held his ground, slicing through it all with a well-placed swing of his blade. 

For a while, Dave had the Dark One on the defensive side. With each wave of shadows, the Commander countered with fire to protect himself and then swung his sword in an attempt to harm his foe. And while his tactics were working initially, they didn’t last much longer. He found an opening in Dave’s offense, bringing his arm down in a side sweep. Shadows shot from his arm and hit the commander’s side, a sickening crack filling the air followed by a scream of agony. 

Then, those familiar chains of inky black latched around each of their wrists, pulling them to their knees as they helplessly watched the Dark One approach them. The ground in front of them began to break away as the beginning of smooth, black spikes emerged. Sykkuno hadn’t noticed the tears rolling down his cheek until they soaked into the dirt that was still intact. He glanced to Prince Charlie, his gaze drifting to the rest of the knights as the realization of their fate seeped in. They were all gonna die here. This had been a trap;  _ all  _ of it had been a ruse to draw out Nordmøre’s army and, most likely, to kill Corpse.

And yet, none of them had been the wiser. 

The tip of the spike pressed into his neck and his sobs quickly became erratic. He saw his mother’s face, that gentle smile she always wore when he was sad. He pictured the way she would sing to him whenever he needed it at night, the soft caress of her fingers running through his hair. He missed her dearly. If only he was able to tell her how much he loved her before all of this. 

Sykkuno saw Felix in his ‘commoner’ clothing, laughing and smiling with Jack as they wrestled over the last piece of bacon. Toast was shaking his head at their antics, but he was smiling. Marzia was laughing into her hands, leaning against Jack’s fiance Evelien for support. He missed those times too; when the war was but a faint memory. Before the Dark One made his presence known once more. 

And then, an image flashed of King Corpse flashed through his mind. That sultry voice filled every last crevice of his brain in a way that made Sykkuno momentarily forget about his impending doom. For so long, the brunette had been in denial of his feelings for the undead but now...as death was soon to rain down upon him, he was sure. He knew what he felt. 

Sykkuno cared for Corpse. But not the same way he did for his friends. No, every time he was around the king, his heart would thump in his chest without rhythm and his ability to talk would suddenly vanish. He has feelings for Corpse, no doubt about that, but he was terrified that it went as far as being  _ in love  _ with him. 

A piercing roar filled the air, the magic chains once shackling them blew away in the wind that had suddenly picked up in strength. Sykkuno’s eyes were drawn to the outline in the sky, jaw-dropping as it descended over them. The creature landed, a long tail curling around the group that huddled together for protection. 

_ It was an actual, real-life dragon.  _

But it wasn’t like how the creatures were described in fairy tales. There were no scales that covered its body, no soft underbelly that provided its only weakness. This dragon was undead, the skin it once had rotted away to leave just bone. The only flesh that remained were on its wings. In its rib cage was a light blue ball of magic that shimmered beautifully.  _ Corpse’s magic,  _ Sykkuno noticed, enthralled by the sheer power it held. 

“Bingus! Just in time.” Dave was crouching on the ground by one of its claws, grasping onto his side to stop the bleeding he was most certainly suffering from. Sykkuno wasn’t sure if the undead even had blood but he was sure they could still die by an attack left untreated. But the brunette had to push those worries aside; the dragon was on their side. And he made a mental note to ask why such a magnificent creature has a name like  _ Bingus.  _

It brought its head up, letting out a breath of blue flames at the Dark One and causing him to lose focus; the spikes disappearing in the wind. A single wing extended down to rest on the ground, and the group began using it to climb onto the back of the beast. Charlie rushed over to Dave, hooking an arm around his waist to hoist him up. The man struggled to walk but with the help of two other knights, they were able to get him on as well. Sykkuno was thankful that Bingus was large enough to carry 20 soldiers at once. 

Without much of a warning, they were in the air and the brunette quickly latched onto the spinous process in front of him. With practiced motions, Bingus weaved through the clouds to avoid the void tendrils attempting to bring them back down.Soon enough, they were far enough away that the dragon could steady itself. Sykkuno let out a sigh, peering at the two princes in front of him. Charlie was holding onto the vertebrae while Dave was wedged between the bone and the body, his face contorted in pain. Carefully, the brunette crawled from his spot over to them.

“Sykkuno, are you crazy? You could fall!” Charlie snapped but Sykkuno ignored him, slowly pulling Dave’s hand away from his wound. It was a nasty gash, the veins around it a deep purple that eventually faded away. The medic  _ knew  _ that was because of whatever the Dark One had done to him and while there wasn’t much he could do about that, he could treat the injury itself with what he had. 

Digging into the satchel around his leg, Sykkuno pulled out several cloths. He pressed the first one against the gash, earning a hiss from Dave as the white was quickly stained green with undead blood. He quickly added more until it no longer bled through, asking the Commander to keep applying pressure for now. When they landed, he would have to find Lily for sutures. 

Bingus let out a sound resembling a huff before beginning the slow descent towards the ground. Sykkuno could make out several bodies and as they got closer, he recognized them as those they were separated from. They were still fighting but it was clear they were winning. The brunette wondered if the Dark One had dared to ambush them as well but he figured the coward wasn’t brave enough to do such a thing. 

His biggest threat wasn’t Nordmøre’s army, it was just Corpse. But the only way to get to the undead king was through his knights. The sure-fire way to do that would be by separating them and begin the slow process of killing them off. In a way, it was a smart strategy but the Dark One had messed up when he underestimated Dave. The Commander had bought them just enough time for Bingus to rescue them. 

The magic within the dragon’s chest rippled once more as a breath of fire was released from its jaws, burning the enemy undead until there was nothing left. Corpse had used his shadows to create barriers around each of his knights, protecting them from the heat of Bingus’ blaze. That was enough time for the dragon to land, dropping both wings to allow the people on his back to slide off. Sykkuno helped Charlie get the Commander down safely and they quickly spotted the little canopy Lily had set up the makeshift infirmary. 

They hobbled over, Prince Charlie slowly lowering Dave onto one of the free blankets on the ground. He was barely conscious and Sykkuno took over the pressure as Lily left to grab the necessary treatments. She came back with witch hazel oil and vera gel, offering them both to Sykkuno. He took the hint, finding new bandages to soak in the oil and lather in gel. Witch hazel was often used in Bremen as a way to stop bleeding and carefully, he reapplied the bandage to the wound. Dave groaned but didn’t dare to move. 

“We shouldn’t sew him up here, I’ll have Edison take him back to the ship once he’s back. Leslie will take care of him there.” Lily offered a gentle smile before moving onto the next person. Much to his surprise, Charlie had situated himself next to Dave though the tension was incredibly thick between them. The Commander was slowly regaining proper mental function but his eyes were plastered on the sky above him. 

Sykkuno felt a hand cup his elbow, pulling him to his feet and dragging him away from the pair. He knew who it was, the warmth that washed over him was enough of an indicator. He turned to face him completely, relieved to find him completely intact. His navy blue cape had several cuts on it and his once pristine armor was chipped in several places, but he was fine. 

“Sykkuno, what happened?” Despite the eternally present edge to his deep vocals, he heard no malice behind his words. He was genuinely worried and that made Sykkuno’s heart dance. But now was not the time to get flustered; they were in the middle of a battle. 

“The Dark One ambushed us while we were heading back. Prince Dave put up a really good fight but he was no match-”

Both hands were on his shoulders, drawing his attention back to Corpse himself. He didn’t have to see his eyes to know he was concerned by the news. 

“What?! Are you okay?” Those fingers rest under his chin, the King examining every inch of skin he could see. “Did he touch you? I swear to the Gods, I will put his head on a spike.” Sykkuno blushed, nudging his hands away from the small nick on his neck. Everywhere he touched felt like it was on fire and he couldn’t deal with that at the moment. 

“I’m okay, Corpse. I promise.” The King’s body was still tense but he conceded, eventually being drawn away as a new wave of undead surfaced. Sykkuno was told to stay with Charlie and Dave which was perfectly fine by him, he wasn’t much of a fighter anyway. But as he was within earshot of them once more, he paused in his steps as their current conversation registered in his mind. 

“-don’t understand. Why...why would you want to be like  _ this.”  _ Charlie weakly gestured towards the injured man, disgusted painting on every portion of his features. In true, Dave-like fashion, that stoic frown never left his lips. But Sykkuno didn’t miss the way his eyes looked away. Those words had hurt him. “You should’ve let yourself have an honorable death. You would have been a martyr but now? You’re just the enemy.” 

“The fuck do you know, Charlie?” Dave growled, sitting up on his elbows to glare at the prince. “My father sent me to die. He knew, and everyone else knew, that it was a death wish to fight him. But he did it anyway, and I died only to be brought back as a mindless zombie for the Dark One to control. I  _ killed  _ so many innocent people. I-” Dave choked, forcing himself to sit up completely despite the immense pain it caused him. 

“I did so many horrible things because of the Dark One. But Corpse...he gave me another chance. He freed me of that.” Dave pressed a hand against his wound, weakly managing to meet Charlie’s eye. “The  _ kings  _ fed you lies. You know  _ nothing. _ ” Charlie grimaced, gripping his own arm as he leaned forward to hopefully intimidate the Commander. 

“Unlike you, I stand by my people. What you’re doing now goes against everything we were taught. And yet, you don’t see it…” Charlie sighed, “Corpse really managed to brainwash you good, didn’t he?” Dave rolled his eyes, averting his eyes to stare at the battle taking place near them. 

“You’re an ignorant fool. I know exactly who I am, exactly what I’m supposed to do with this second chance I’ve been given. Look inside yourself, Charlie. I’m not the one here who's brainwashed.” Charlie rose from his spot, drawing his blade and dashing towards the action without another word. Dave didn’t move and he barely acknowledged Sykkuno when he sat back down next to him. 

Sykkuno wasn’t quite sure what to say. He was almost certain that was a private conversation he had accidentally eavesdropped on and he was never good at comforting someone to begin with. But he couldn’t just sit there and say nothing; Dave was clearly struggling with what had just transpired. 

“U-Um...are you okay?” Sykkuno watched him carefully lay back down, his eyes falling shut as Dave thought about what to say. 

“Charlie has always been stubborn. Painfully so.” Dave huffed, crossing his arms over his chest as that disinterested frown crossed his lips once more. Silence fell over them and eventually, Sykkuno's eyes drifted over to Corpse. In one hand, he wielded his blade that easily sliced through any enemies attempting to attack him. The other shot out shadowy wisps of magic to aid his knights that found themselves in trouble. 

This was the first time the brunette has seen Corpse fight and he was thoroughly impressed. Swords were heavy enough, it was incredibly difficult to use them with only one hand yet the king made it look so easy. And on top of that, he was using magic which was no easy feat; Sykkuno was sure of that. 

“If only I could change Charlie’s mind like Corpse changed yours.” Sykkuno blushed at those words, briefly meeting Dave’s gaze before a man stopped his steed next to them. He introduced himself as Edison and the brunette recognized the name as the person Lily stated earlier. Dave was quickly loaded onto the back of his mount before the pair headed back in the direction of the ship. 

Then, Sykkuno was left to his own devices. Lily and the other medics were tending to the injured and the brunette decided he should make himself of use as well. Many of the wounds weren’t caused by magic, making their treatment much easier. A dash of turmeric powder, poppy seeds administered to ease the pain, and vera slathered bandages applied to each injury was more than enough to care for most of them. And while the distraction was appreciated, Corpse’s wellbeing lingered like fog in the back of his mind. More often than not, he found himself glancing back at the man to make sure he was okay. 

Magic flared around them, clashing together to form small explosions at every counter. Much to Sykkuno’s relief, Corpse was  _ winning.  _ From here, he could make out the shouts of pain each time Nordmøre’s king landed a hit and he wasn’t holding back. But, when Corpse had his blade up against the Dark One’s throat, he hesitated. And that second of time was enough for their enemy to land a blast of energy right on Corpse's stomach with enough force to throw him away. 

“Corpse!” Sykkuno shouted, rushing over to the man. He was on his hands and knees, struggling to get up from his spot on the ground. The brunette helped, eyeing the Dark One wearily as he approached. He was immediately pushed behind Corpse who had lost his sword in the attack. But he made up for it with fists that were engulfed in shadows. 

“Sykkuno, you need to get out of here!  _ Now!”  _ Corpse urged, pushing Sykkuno back with him as the Dark One took another step forward. The brunette’s legs were shaking in his spot, his body unable to move as fear overtook every nerve in his being. The other man tilted his head ever so slightly but didn’t stop in his steps. He could practically  _ feel  _ the power the Dark One was emitting. 

“C-Corpse, what about you?” Sykkuno stuttered, gripping the torn navy blue cape like his life depended on it. It probably wasn’t far off as he couldn’t do anything against the enemy even if he wanted to. 

“That doesn’t matter! I’m not asking.  _ Run!”  _ Corpse lunged at the Dark One, the dark shadows taking the form of claws as he brought it down on his opponent. But he turned to black, disappearing completely at the assault. Corpse tensed, slowly turning around to find the Dark One clutching onto Sykkuno’s hair. 

It had been a diversion. 

_ “Oh, Corpse. I can’t wait to hear your screams when I slit your lover’s throat.”  _ The blade came to rest against his trachea while the other hand slid down to rest on the back of his neck. But...the Dark One froze in his motions, the metal glove digging painfully into his skin. Much to Sykkuno’s disgust, the same sense of  _ longing  _ he felt the first time he touched Corpse was present. 

_ “...”  _ It was far too silent as the stand-off continued. There was nothing Corpse could do without possibly harming Sykkuno and the Dark One had yet to make a move.  _ “So you’re the one…”  _ The man whispered in his ear and Sykkuno shivered, hearing the blade clatter to the floor. His arms were around his waist as the shadows spiraled around them. He was sinking into the floor and the sinking realization of what was happening made him sick. 

Sykkuno shot a hand out, watching through blurry eyes as Corpse dashed towards them. It was becoming darker and darker, the brunette trying desperately to prevent himself from being taken. Corpse was so close; their fingers had brushed against each other before Sykkuno found himself plummeting through the inky black abyss alongside the Dark One. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aha...sorry for the cliffhanger. But I hope you guys liked it :D


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